Stansted Mountfitchet is home to a large and growing number of families of young children, but it doesn't have a full day care nursery. Working parents therefore have to add an hour or more to their daily commute to access full day childcare. This is detrimental to the welfare of families and children.
If the plans to turn the former Police Station into a nursery are approved, by January 2019, a new day nursery can be up and running.
Being able to access full day care locally will save hard-working parents unnecessary travel expense, but most importantly it will give them more time with their young children. A local nursery will also help to build a sense of community amongst parents of young children and will support children in their transition to primary school as they will move up with their nursery friends.
It has been demonstrated by a traffic consultant that 'The proposed development will have a minimal impact on the Hargrave Close junction and will have no impact on the wider highway network (including in combination with the Walpole Farm site)'.*
If this planning application is not approved, it will take years to find and develop another site.
* source: Caneparo Associates (Transport Planning & Design) - Proposed Day Nursery at the Former Police Station, Hargrave Close, Stansted Mountfitchet, Dec 2017
