Phase one of the A1331 link road started in 2024 to improve access to the A120 and A12 and to alleviate congestion, with the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community as a core part of the plan.

Local councils, via a joint committee, have adopted infrastructure-led planning policies to ensure housing growth is matched by timely infrastructure, facilities, and economic development.

Sir Bernard Jenkin has criticized the slow progress on the A1331 link road and urged action to advance infrastructure before further housing development.

The Tendring Border Garden Community is a major element of a broader housing growth strategy in the area, linked to related schemes and opportunities.

Essex County Council says £100 million from the government’s housing infrastructure fund is being used to deliver phase one of the link road and the Rapid Transit System, with construction expected to progress in the coming months and additional funds sought from Homes England for phase two and the A120 connection.

The Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community is proposed to include between 7,500 and 9,000 homes as part of the Local Plan, contributing to a wider aim of about 25,000 new homes across Colchester and Tendring by 2033.

Jenkin calls for housing completion to be restricted until the link road is finished, arguing infrastructure should precede or accompany development.