Colchester News
The latest Colchester news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Colchester Bus Station Plan: Painters Yard, £20m to £25m
A new bus station on the old Queen Street site would cost £20m to £25m, with no funding yet. Comments close 8 November; drop-ins are on 14 and 21 October.
More stories
Colchester Zoo
Colchester Zoo Sea Lions Return: Sofia and Cali Arrive
Two Californian sea lions, Sofia and her daughter Cali, have moved into Colchester Zoo's pool, empty since March. The zoo has also announced a degree course with Suffolk.
Colchester
A12 Bridge Rescue: Colchester Trio Commended by Police
Three people who held on to a woman in distress on a bridge over the A12 near Braiswick until police arrived have been given Chief Constable's commendations.
Colchester
Colchester Council Fines Peabody and Anchor £23,600
Colchester has fined Peabody £13,600 and Anchor £10,000 over rented homes. A tribunal also backed its fire safety notice on a New Town house, 11 months after the landlord appealed.
Colchester
Colchester Castle Concerts: Fenwick Footfall Up 5% in 2026
A five per cent footfall rise at Fenwick is the only 2026 figure the council has published for the Castle Summer Series. The £24m and £6.5m both come from a 2024/25 report.
Colchester
Colchester Leisure Pool Closes 28 September for £1.4m Work
The Leisure Pool closes Monday 28 September, reopening early 2027. The rapids have already gone. What shuts, what stays open, and what is still unpublished.
Colchester
Colchester Park and Ride: Stephensons Takes Over 26 Sept
Essex County Council has awarded the Colchester Park and Ride bus contract to Stephensons of Essex for £2,561,085, running from 26 September 2026 to 2030.
Colchester
Colchester Castle Summer Series 2027: Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating and Blue play Lower Castle Park on 21 August 2027 and Simply Red on 18 August. Presale tickets open at 10am on 23 and 24 September.
Colchester
Colchester house prices July 2026: flats below 2021
The average Colchester flat sold for £162,307 in July, below its July 2021 level. The city average fell 0.5% over the year to £297,824, 8th of 14 in Essex.
Schools
Philip Morant No-Touching Rule Is Not in Its Policy
Philip Morant's published behaviour policy contains no ban on pupils touching each other. The Colchester school will change its expectations this term.
Colchester
Banksy at The Minories: 28 Originals in Colchester, 10 Oct
Out of Line brings 28 original Banksy works to The Minories from 10 October to 28 February. Tickets are £12.50, and the gallery shop moves to Culver Street.
Colchester
Colchester Playgrounds: £2m Works Begin at Queensland Drive
Work has started on Colchester's £2m playground programme, with a new play area at Queensland Drive first. The council says 36 sites; its own list shows 34.
Colchester
Colchester Council Merger Withdrawn: 2028 Date Is Off
Colchester will not be abolished on 1 April 2028: the government has withdrawn the North East Essex merger. The council's own panel met two days later anyway.
Colchester
Colchester Freedom of the City: Sir Bob Russell, 16 Sept
Sir Bob Russell receives the Honorary Freedom of the City at the Moot Hall at 6pm on Wednesday 16 September. The public can attend both ceremonies, free.
Colchester
Colchester High Street: Cabinet Rejects Shop Auction Plan
Cabinet threw out the motion to auction long-empty city centre units on 2 September, saying vacancy rates are too low to qualify. The minutes are now published.
Colchester
Emmaus Colchester wins £85,000 for Osborne Street roof
A government grant pays to replace around 42 skylights above the Emmaus Works warehouse and shop in Osborne Street. The work is due to end in March 2027.
Colchester
Lexden's Empty Aldi to Become a Cafe and Youth Lounge
Kingsland Church says it has planning permission to turn the empty Aldi unit below its Lexden centre into a community cafe, a youth lounge and three studios.
Colchester
Holy Trinity Colchester wins £2.65m to reopen in 2028
Holy Trinity Church has £2.65m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a £3.4m restoration, with reopening aimed at the second half of 2028.
Planning
Colchester Local Plan: 21,692 homes, comment by 13 October
Colchester's final Local Plan consultation closes 4pm on 13 October, allocating 12,208 homes: 2,500 at Marks Tey, 2,000 in north-east Colchester.
Bins
Colchester bins: 18,000 homes get wheeled bins in September
Around 18,000 Colchester homes move to wheeled recycling bins during September, and 17,980 get free caddy liners. Check your own address first.
Colchester
Colchester Oyster Feast: ballot closes 10 September, £94
Tickets to the Mayor's Oyster Feast on 23 October are £94 this year, not £148, and are drawn by ballot. Applications close Thursday 10 September. How to enter.
Colchester
Colchester city centre: Cabinet asked to auction empty shops
A motion at Cabinet on 2 September asks Colchester to use rental auctions on units empty a year, and to publish a new high street strategy within six months.
Colchester
Colchester house prices: only Tendring is cheaper in Essex
The average Colchester home cost £298,003 in June, second lowest of Essex's 14 districts and £15,534 below the December 2022 peak. Prices by type, and sales.
West Mersea
West Mersea broadband: full fibre now live, from £35 a month
Amphora Connect's full-fibre network went live in West Mersea on 14 August, reaching around 4,000 homes and businesses. The speeds, the prices and the caveats.
Colchester
Colchester playparks: work on 34 starts in September
Work on 34 Colchester play areas starts in September 2026: 14 full refurbishments, 11 kit replacements, 7 resurfacings and one new playpark. The full list, by ward.
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe playpark: £81,000 raised, all of it from grants
Wivenhoe's Mede Way playpark was paid for with £50,000 from Enovert, £20,000 from the Lottery, £10,000 from Essex County Council and £1,000 from One Stop.
Colchester
Colchester A level results 2026: nearly 800 top grades
The Sixth Form College counted nearly 800 A* and A grades, up from over 700 last year. CRGS had 35 students with three or four A*s. Every figure published.
Colchester
Colchester council grants: foodbank gets permanent home
Osgood Smith, the Colchester confectionery wholesaler founded in 1921, has permanently closed. Colchester Foodbank is buying its Greenstead Road depot.