Essex Communities

The next twenty years will see substantial growth in Essex. The population is forecast to increase by c.20%, an additional 180,000 homes are planned and a further 100,000 jobs expected.

Our vision for this project is to ensure that we maximise the economic, community and public health potential of the major new developments that will deliver this growth.

We aim to engage Essex Partners in wider thinking and debate on the relationship between new development, social outcomes and demands for public services. All public service organisations should consider whether (and how) the choices made in designing major new developments:
• have a positive impact on economic, social and health-related outcomes,
• create opportunities to develop new models of public service delivery; and
• might create service pressures, forcing change to established practices.

Developing our roadmap
We are developing a programme of TED-talk style speaking events which will be delivered over a period of 18 months to explore the links between the design/ development and the impacts/ opportunities that exist across the system of public services.

The events will involve keynote speeches from industry experts designed to:
• stimulate debate on the implications of growth for different public service partners; and
• engage a wider range of partners in discussions about the design of major new developments (including garden communities).

A first meeting of the wider delivery team is to be convened following the Essex Assembly on 4th September in order to give a wide range of partners the opportunity to engage with an input to the programme of events.

Project Sponsors
Essex system sponsors of this work are Gavin Jones, Chief Executive of Essex County Council and Ian Davidson, Chief Executive of Tendring District County Council.

Contacts:
If you would like more information on the work of this project please contact alastair.gordon@essex.gov.uk