FAQs

CHP is planning to redevelop Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane to provide additional affordable homes for local people.  Since early 2024, we have been working with customers from Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane and sharing our plans to provide multi-generational living designed to meet the needs of our current and future customers.

There’s a shortage of homes in the city and we want to increase the number of affordable homes available.  We also know the homes at Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane aren't suitable for the long term, so the redevelopment provides an opportunity to create new homes that provide more space, more light, and are cheaper and easier to run. 

We have just submitted planning permission and are waiting on confirmation and next steps.  The first stage is to demolish the existing properties. We are aiming to start this work by summer 2026.

As part of our plans, we’ll replace the existing homes with new properties. All properties will be demolished if plans are approved.

Yes. We have worked closely with residents to provide personalised support to aid their move – including help to find a new home that meets their needs. All residents have had the option to move back to the completed development if they wish. Residents have been kindly sharing their experiences with us – you can read more in our recent annual report.

We aim to deliver affordable housing that meets the needs of our local community. Once the redevelopment is completed, we’ll be letting these homes through our usual process. All of the existing customers at Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane will have the opportunity to return to the new development and will be allocated a home if they want one.

The existing properties are coming to the end of their life and will need lots of work to improve the quality of the home for the future - with upgrades required to ensure they remain warm and safe. The room sizes are also much smaller than current space standards. When looking to modernise the homes, we reviewed the best use of money and investment and saw the potential to increase the number of modern, warm and safe housing for local people.

Depending on when planning is approved, we aim to complete the development by early 2030.

All properties in the new development will be allocated by Chelmsford City Council, you will need to be on their housing register to be considered. Shared ownership properties will be advertised on the help to buy website.

We are aiming to build around 250 new homes. 

Within our proposals we’re looking at modern apartment buildings, as well as houses as part of the redevelopment. 

Yes. All the proposed plans feature communal spaces – including green spaces – to ensure the redevelopment is attractive and integrates well with the local park space. This includes the preservation of some established trees.

No. Our proposals look to optimise the number of new homes we can create to help address the high levels of housing demand in our area. The homes that are replacing the bungalows all provide larger living areas. 

Yes. Our proposals include purpose-built homes designed for older people. We’ve asked current residents and local people for their views and experts such as The Alzheimer's Society and have included many ideas within our designs. This includes larger living areas, wet room bathrooms, storage spaces and where homes are not at ground level, two lifts to ensure easy and reliable access.

Yes. Our proposals are now being considered as part of the formal planning application process. CHP has worked with the residents, wider community members, specialist partners (such as the Alzheimer’s Society) and Chelmsford City Council to ensure that we create the best possible place for people to live and our aim is to deliver multi-generational living that meets the needs of local people – so it’s important we listen to feedback and shape our approach with customers and communities at the heart.

We’ve put customers at the heart of our approach to the redevelopment and have held coffee mornings, drop in sessions and events as well as updates via newsletters and emails to ensure we meaningfully engage with people .We’re also working closely with Chelmsford City Council to create a place Chelmsford and local residents can be proud of.

We also have a range of partners – from architects to advisors, communications specialists and building contractors. All have been selected (many with resident involvement) because they are committed to a truly consultative process, with a customer and community focus. People from our partner organisations will be at our consultation events and are happy to answer any questions you may have.  

We have made some very small changes to the layout. We did this to protect the number of parking spaces we had in some of the early designs. Plans remain no taller than six storeys across the development and there is still a mix of housing for older people, as well as family homes.

As part of the feedback from our public consultation events, our designs also protect some of the established trees, as well as maintaining green spaces and access to the park.

We know the homes are coming to the end of their useful life and as such would need significant investment to improve the quality of the home for the future. This is one of the reasons we’re proposing our new plans.

The homes are also unable to be adapted and with demand for more accessible properties increasing, replacing these homes is essential to ensure that we meet local demand for accessible homes. Consistent with homes of this age there is also likely to be structural challenges that we will be assessing as properties become vacant and we progress with redevelopment. 

Any building works will be undertaken using a carefully prepared access, logistics and traffic management plan. Our contractor will have set times for deliveries to minimise any impact on Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane neighbours and local communities.

Yes. All construction works will be carefully planned to ensure access to local homes is not affected.

Feedback from local people have shared how important it is that we get parking right to ensure any increase in the number of cars doesn’t affect the look and feel of the regenerated area. As designs have evolved, we have been working with Chelmsford City Council to find the best way to balance how the area looks and feels, while ensuring families moving into the new homes have access to a place to park. This feels like a good solution, but we’re keen to hear views of local people.

No. The number of spaces remains the same as the previous proposals. Spaces have just been redesigned and reallocated to improve the look and feel of the area.

There will be the same number of spaces available for local people as there are now. Local people can access a space through the council permit scheme. You can apply for a permit via the Council website. 

There will be some spaces allocated to residents of the redeveloped Andrews Place. These will be allocated to specific properties, and we will manage this through a permit scheme. Not all Andrews Place residents will want or need a parking space. We will continue to provide spaces for local people through a council-led permit scheme.

Yes. When the redevelopment takes place there may be limited access to parking spaces temporarily. This will be for only a short time, but when we know more details, we will give you notice of any access interruptions and the alternative parking arrangements.

We will plan all works to minimise disruption to your space, however there may be short periods where access will not be possible due to construction and health and safety.  We will give you as much notice about these periods as possible and aim to provide alternative arrangements during these times.

If you own your garage, you won’t lose it. Our designs have taken into consideration that this is your property, and it will remain in place. For garages that are licenced, our plan is to remove these and you will no longer have access to this space. We will give you notice of licence termination in line with the terms and conditions.

Yes. We can share locations and details of other garages available and offer you a new garage licence.

As per the terms and conditions, we give you at least seven days’ notice to remove your belongings. Although we aim to give you as much notice as possible, if you don’t move your items with the timeframe set out, we have the right to remove and dispose of any items left.

We can buy your garage from you if you no longer want it anymore. Please leave your contact details with a CHP colleague and we will arrange a call.