Liberal Democratic Parliament Member receives backing to demolish and reestablish her residence in Chelmsford.

The newly elected Liberal Democrat MP, Marie Goldman, and her husband Simon Goldman, have received approval to self-build a new two-storey, four-bedroom house in Chelmsford. The plans for the new residence, which will replace their current property, have been meticulously designed and have now been given the green light by the local Chelmsford City Council.

However, the proposed demolition and self-build of the Goldman family's house has sparked a heated debate among residents and councillors. Some argue that the home should be renovated instead of demolishing and rebuilding, as it would produce less pollution and minimise disruption to the neighbourhood.

Conservative Councillor for Little Baddow, Jacob Armstrong, has voiced his support for the scheme, calling it a "nice one". On the other hand, Lib Dem Councillor for Moulsham and Central, Graham Pooley, has claimed the application to be exceptional in many respects.

The new property, which will feature brick, zinc, and cladding, will be 1.5 metres narrower to provide more distance from neighbouring properties. Despite this, the house will be deeper than the existing one.

One of the main concerns raised by Mr. Roy Clover, a neighbour, is the increased carbon footprint due to embodied carbon, as opposed to refurbishing the existing house. He also expressed disappointment that several of his comments and concerns were not addressed in the plans that received approval.

In response, Mr. Clover argued that refurbishing the existing house could lessen the impact of noise, pollution, and disruption to the neighbourhood. He also claimed that refurbishing the house could minimise the overall CO2 impact.

Despite these concerns, the planning committee unanimously approved the proposals without raising any objections about potential additional pollution from rebuilding the house. The new house proposal will not be an eco-house, as it is being demolished and rebuilt rather than refurbished.

The plans for the new house have drawn criticism from Mr. Clover, who wrote to the council expressing his disappointment. However, the design of the new home was altered from a previous design with light grey brickwork to better match the surrounding areas, in an effort to address some of the concerns raised.

In conclusion, the Goldman family's new residence has been met with both support and criticism, with the debate over sustainability and the impact on the neighbourhood continuing. The new home, which will be a self-build, is expected to have a higher carbon footprint due to embodied carbon, as opposed to refurbishing the existing house.

Liberal Democratic Parliament Member receives backing to demolish and reestablish her residence in Chelmsford.