Residents of a small Essex village say their community has been transformed into a chaotic thoroughfare as heavy goods vehicles flood through narrow lanes to avoid roadworks connected to a controversial housing scheme.
Cressing, a quiet settlement near Braintree, has experienced a dramatic surge in articulated lorries since the B1018 was shut on March 27 for highway improvements linked to a 250-home Persimmon development.
The closure, which runs between the Millennium Way roundabout and a newly constructed junction beside the housing site, has prompted drivers to seek shortcuts through the village rather than follow the lengthy official diversion.
Locals describe conditions as “unbearable” as large vehicles squeeze along The Street, the village’s main road, creating what they said was a lawless conditions on routes never designed for such traffic volumes.
The B1018 is expected to reopen in mid-April.
Those living along the route report that HGV drivers are failing to yield to oncoming traffic and mounting kerbs to manoeuvre through the confined streetscape.
The situation has sparked particular alarm among residents whose period properties sit almost flush with the roadway, with lorries passing perilously close to front doors and windows.
Marilyn Palmer, a longstanding resident, expressed her frustration at the deteriorating conditions.
The village of Cressing has become like the ‘Wild West’
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She told EssexLive: “We’ve been here a long while. And we do realise things change, but this is ludicrous.”
Her husband Barry voiced similar exasperation with the relentless construction across the region.
“They just build, build, build,” he said. “I know it’s everywhere. But it’s getting to the case where it’s unbearable.”
The housing scheme, comprising 250 properties, was originally rejected by Braintree District Council but subsequently approved following a successful appeal by the developer.
Green Party Councillor for Silver End and Cressing James Abbott criticised the current framework
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Green Party Councillor for Silver End and Cressing James Abbott has condemned the current planning framework, likening it to the “Wild West” where developers frequently secure speculative schemes through the appeals process.
He said: “Planning has become the Wild West. There is no planning anymore.
“We’ve got a combination of pressure on this area, the Government ramping up targets, and the planning system becoming ever more favourable to developers.”
Prior to the 2020 appeal decision, the council had argued the site occupied land designated as an open countryside buffer zone.
The planning inspector concluded that any negative impacts would not substantially outweigh the benefits and deemed the housing sustainable development.
Braintree District Council initially rejected the decision
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Councillor Abbott warned that official inspectors appear oblivious to the cumulative strain caused by multiple developments concentrated in one area.
He cautioned that proposed local plan changes could see schemes expand from hundreds of homes to thousands, predicting gridlock across the region.
Essex Highways has confirmed that The Street does not form part of the authorised detour for vehicles affected by the closure.
A spokesperson for the council outlined the designated alternative route, which directs traffic via the B1018, B1389, A12, A120, and B1018 in both directions.
The spokesman said: “This is the most suitable route for all types of traffic which already uses Cressing Road and Braintree Road.”
Motorists have been advised to consult One.network to view diversion information and plan their journeys accordingly.
The spokesman added the road closure was implemented to ensure the safety of both the public and construction workers while Persimmon Homes carries out the highway improvement works, adding that improvements will create a link between the B1018 and Long Green through newly built roundabout junctions serving the development.
GB News has contacted the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.