Back in mid-2020 I wrote to this paper concerned by the lack of infrastructure and other improvements that will be required regarding the substantial increase in housing planned for this area.

Now luckily for us, there never was anything to worry about because Maldon District Council no doubt with other interested authorities had devised something called the Local Development Plan.

This is a far-sighted document which takes a lot of time to read but does seem to cover everything to help reassure us all when vast new housing estates are built where you live, it seems the principal function of the plan is to install wellbeing and contentment among the local population for a successful integration with a vast increase of people moving to the area.

This was further enhanced by an article in this newspaper back in July 2020 that one of the developers for southern Maldon was going to contribute a quoted £12.9million to help with new schools, roads, allotments, playing fields, medical centres, and not forgetting a pub or two, and he was proud to do so.

Now reading in last week’s paper, it seems quite a few parents living in Burnham will not get the school of their choice for their children, because of capacity issues. And this is before most of the new housing has even been built.

One can only wonder how young prospective parents must have felt when the article went on to quote an Essex County Council spokesman who said, there are no expansion projects for primary schools for the Dengie area.

Isn’t it nice to feel wanted? Which is strange because on page 43 of the master plan document paragraph 2.85, it sems that the people who created the plan recognised there could be a shortfall of catchment places in Burnham.

As local elections are coming round again, I would think that it is not unreasonable for anyone to ask their local councillor before they cast their vote, when are all the improvements mentioned in the master plan ever going to happen?

Robbie Green

Fambridge Road, Maldon