A collaboration between Essex, Colchester, Braintree, Tendring and Uttlesford councils, the NEO will involve the creation of three new garden communities comprising 24,000 homes near Colchester, 10,000 west of Braintree and 9,000 on the Colchester/Tendring border.

North Essex Garden Communities (NEGC), the company leading the garden communities venture established and owned by four partner councils (Braintree, Colchester, Tendring and Essex), will spend £2bn to develop the infrastructure for the garden communities, which will include schools and medical centres, as well as social infrastructure such as green spaces and community and energy facilities.