Here I am at 4 Parsons Hill, Lexden. There can be few in the area who have not heard of the proposal, rightly rejected by the Planning Committee in my opinion, to build – and excavate – nine flats with underground parking here. It is within Prettygate ward boundary, but I think it affects Lexden more than Prettygate, because it dominates the view as you come up Church Lane from the bottom of Lexden Hill. It is also at a staggered crossroads with the unusual feature of poor visibility from all four directions, thanks to bends in the roads. As you can see, the single dwelling currently here is tranquil and secluded. That is how Lexden people like it. The wooded garden is close to the southern end of the local nature reserve at Lexden Park, and provides useful habitat for wildlife. I am concerned that unless the “high growth” status of Colchester is reversed, such places will one by one vanish. I think of that line in the song by Joni Mitchell: “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…”

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