Background

Bunting & Sons, one of Colchester’s oldest family businesses established in 1820, has spent almost 9 years and invested over £6m to be in the position to create Horkesley Park. Strategic acquisitions have been made to bring it all together, and far-reaching professional studies and assessments have been undertaken to ensure that what is proposed will be beneficial across the board, with no significant adverse effects.

From the very beginning there has been ongoing open public engagement and consultation and this has helped enormously to bring about the proposals as they now stand, summarised on this website.  Bunting & Sons previously submitted a Planning Application in 2005, which was withdrawn to allow further studies to be completed.  The plans were refined and improved and an extensive programme of formal Public Engagement and Consultation took place in 2007.

Attendance at an Exhibition and Public Consultation approached 500 people with many more attending the Touring Information Roadshows, a Site Exhibition and Show Rounds. Of the returned questionnaire/comment forms, over 95% showed either “support” or “no objection” to the Horkesley Park proposals. A large number of further refinements were made to the Proposals as a result of feedback from the Consultation Process.

The consultation for Horkesley Park has been ongoing over many years and Bunting & Sons has shared the proposals with thousands of people gaining very valuable feedback. A supporting Petition contains 22,839 signatories demonstrating overwhelming support for the proposals. In addition, Bunting & Sons has liaised with Colchester Borough Council and other bodies during the updating and refinement of the proposals.

Bunting & Sons is extremely grateful for all the suggestions, feedback and support it has received over the years from so many people. This has all been taken into account and this has helped to enable the proposals and designs for Horkesley Park to evolve and be enhanced. Bunting & Sons believe that they now truly reflect what the majority would like to see created and that the long period that has been allowed for ongoing open public engagement and consultation has been time well spent.