Housing

“Chelgate has been working with me for over 20 years, at several companies, and have always provided candid political insights.” Martin Leyland, Vanderbilt Strategic (formerly Rapleys, Barratt Strategic and Wilcon Homes)

Housing is a national and a local priority, but building homes anywhere is always a challenge. Chelgate Local supports projects across the housing spectrum from large scale private development to regenerating town centres. Working with national housebuilders, leading housing associations, land promoters, land owners and planning consultants, we have promoted new home schemes across London and the Home Counties, the South East, East Anglia and the East Midlands.

Our programmes include political, community and stakeholder engagement

A selection of our recent projects include:

Chipping Ongar, Essex

Bellway Homes North Thames acquired a site on Greensted Road, Ongar, which already had a history: although an allocated site, a previous application had attracted 500 objections and had been refused, and a subsequent appeal in 2022 was unsuccessful

Chelgate Local helped with an extensive political and community engagement programme for an application for 85 homes. It was unanimously approved by Epping Forest District Council in February 2025, attracting just 12 objections. Five of the council members, including two ward councillors, unusually congratulated the development team on the early and comprehensive engagement. Comments included: “This is a really good development and it does reflect the cooperation between the parish council and the developer, and also the residents” and “…I think that they should be a lesson to other developers of how to do this”. Another councillor said: “This is one of those wonderfully happy stories where the residents have had great consultation with the developers: that’s really really lovely to see.”

Codicote, Hertfordshire

Taylor Wimpey North Thames was proposing 68 new homes on a former garden centre site in the village of Codicote. Chelgate Local assisted with political and community engagement as the project came forward to North Hertfordshire Council planning. It was approved in December 2022.

Heybridge North Garden Suburb, Essex

Chelgate assisted Bellway Thames Gateway with navigating planning at Maldon District council for 262 new homes on three parcels within the Heybridge North Garden Community, masterplanned by Countryside. The committee originally deferred its decision but subsequently consented the application unanimously in December 2022.

Wokingham, Berkshire

We are assisting Berkeley Homes with political and community engagement around a planning application for circa 375 homes in Wokingham. Proposals include a community building with flexible space for local classes and events and an on site SANG.

Neopost House, Romford, London Borough of Havering

Chelgate has provided Galliard Homes with political and community engagement for planning applications for a development of 123 homes and a health centre in Romford, Havering. Located around the historic Neopost House building, the proposed development will provide three blocks with affordable housing through social rent and shared ownership, as well as green recreation space for families.

Chelgate led on the extensive community and political engagement for the site, generating positive resident feedback and working with local councillors to agree wider improvements to the local area.

Walkern, East Hertfordshire

Chelgate is assisting Welbeck Land bring forward an application for an Inspired Village in this Hertfordshire village. The proposals are for 120 homes with communal and community facilities which could include a gym, shop, health centre and community space. Chelgate has helped with political and community engagement.

West Hemel, Hertfordshire

This development of 1,100 new homes to the west of Hemel was promoted jointly by Barratt DWH and Taylor Wimpey North Thames. We assisted with the political engagement as the planning application came forward for consideration by the committee at Dacorum Council. It was approved in early 2020.

High Halstow, Kent

A development of 68 on the edge of High Halstow, a village on the Hoo Peninsular in Kent for Redrow South East. Chelgate assisted with detailed political and community engagement including comprehensive canvassing around the site and engagement with health and education. The project gained consent from Medway Council in 2018. Chelgate has subsequently been retained by Redrow to promote the site opposite, this time for 780 homes.

Bracknell Forest, Berkshire

We assisted Warfield Park, the country’s second largest park home site, to secure planning consent for 82 new park homes on its 500+ site in Bracknell Forest. Park homes have different planning requirements as they are not development, they are a change of use of the land. Chelgate provided community and political engagement, as well as exhibition, drop-in sessions, door-to-door canvassing and newsletters. Work on the new homes starts later in 2023.

Springfield Mill, Maidstone, Kent

The regeneration a former paper factory to create a residential oasis in the heart of the town. The Whatman paper factory, originally established some 300 years ago, once employed over 1,000 people: it is an integral part of the history of paper-making. Redrow South East proposed a development of around 200 homes very much in keeping with the history of the site and the existing Listed buildings. Chelgate assisted with political engagement and local community and stakeholder consultation for this historic site – we were a finalist in the Planning Project of the Year category of the PRCA public affairs awards in 2019.

“Sometimes it is difficult to see the value of political and community engagement being carried out by a specialist consultancy, however with Chelgate that value is clear, measurable and has proved vital to gaining consent.” David Banfield, Planning Director, Redrow Homes