CONTROVERSIAL plans for more than 120 homes off a country lane have been thrown out by council officers.

Gladman Developments lodged the plans for 122 houses across two parcels of land off Bakers Lane, Colchester.

But the scheme has now been rejected by Colchester Council without even being seen by the authority’s planning committee.

The plan attracted more than 100 objections, including from the Braiswick Residents’ Association, West Bergholt Parish Council and councillors and residents.

Most objections raised fears about the lack of infrastructure in the immediate area to deal with more than 100 new homes so close to larger developments including at the former Severalls Hospital site.

Officers said the plans have been rejected because the land lies outside of the adopted neighbourhood plan and also felt recommending the scheme for approval would disrupt the ongoing local plan work to create a viable local plan.

Lexden and Braiswick councillor Dennis Willetts (Con) said he was delighted the plans have been scrapped and questioned whether the road was ever going to be suitable for such large scale development.

He said: “Have you ever walked down Bakers Lane?

“It is a country lane which is not well maintained and it cannot be because there are no real foundations.

“The road can just about cope to traffic to PlayGolf but it is horrendous in the morning when people are using it is a shortcut.

“If the developers had been proposing to completely rebuild the road from top to bottom then it might have been slightly different but you cannot have so many houses linking to such a sub standard road.

“It would be difficult to improve anyway because of the number of sharp turns.

“The whole plan was ludicrous and I am pleased for the residents who were so up in arms about the scheme.”