Many areas around towns and villages in the Braintree district are changing fast due to development. We do need new homes and employment sites, but all too often once sites are in the hands of developers, trees and hedges are cut down and ponds filled in. The combination of the Government’s drive for development and the failure of the Conservative administration at Braintree District Council to secure a Local Plan has left volume developers in the driving seat when it comes to planning, and many communities feel left behind. Many local residents have expressed concerns about the amount of development being proposed in the Bocking area, including at Straits Mill where 1,000 houses are planned.