FRESH plans have been submitted to build homes on a football field after a previous bid was thrown out by a Government planning inspector.

Developer Dishland has submitted a proposal to build 12 homes on the Gas Recreation playing fields, in Bromley Road, Colchester.

The same company applied to build a total of 50 houses on the field in 2008, which would have seen a new training pitch for Gas Recreation FC and a community centre included in the package.

The proposal was thrown out by Colchester Council and a planning inspector because they would have amounted to an unacceptable loss of open space and have an adverse impact on the area.

But now the developer has returned with a scaled-back scheme which does not offer any facilities for the football club immediately.

The new proposal would see the 12 homes close to the Bromley Road Dental Surgery. The homes and dentist would share an access point which would be widened by the developer.

Pitches used by Gas Rec would then be moved to the north of the site to provide an area for possible future expansion of the changing rooms for community purposes.

If given permission then the ownership of the existing pavilion, pitches and open space will be transferred to Colchester Council.

Member for St Anne’s Mike Hogg said it could lead to further development of the site in the future.

He said: “Hopefully we will be able to support it.

“If they do get planning permission they will hand the land over the council who will have the choice of what goes on there and hopefully we will be able to develop a facility for the benefit of the community.

“It might be a couple of years away but the longest journey starts with a single step.”

The previous proposal had been strongly opposed by the Salary Close Residents’ Association as their street would have been used as an access road.

But chairman Zena Smart said she did not envisage too many objections this time round.

She said: “The number of houses are more manageable and in a better place.

“The people in the new houses might cause a bit of a ruckus in the morning when they are all leaving for work and the children are arriving at Roach Vale Primary School but apart from that I don’t think there will be many more problems.”

The Gazette contacted planning agent Boyer in an attempt to speak to Dishland but did not receive a response.

The chairman of Gas Recreation FC said continuing to play on the site was what they wanted from the plans.

Mark Ennew said although he was disappointed to miss out on the facilities in the original application t but would still be supporting the fresh bid He said: “As long as we are allowed to play football there then that is the only thing which matters to us.

“If this application secures the club’s future then that is all we are interested in.

“It was a major blow the original planning application was never granted – we would have had extra facilities provided by Dishland which would have been paid for by the sale of the houses.”