CONTROVERSIAL plans to increase the size of Finchingfield by a quarter have been unanimously rejected.

Gladman Developments applied in October for outline planning permission to build up to 80 new homes on land off Wethersfield Road, Finchingfield.

The application was rejected on Tuesday at a meeting of Braintree Council’s planning committee.

Speaking on behalf of Finchingfield Parish Council at the meeting, Alison Stanger said the development would increase the size of the village by roughly 25 per cent, straining its already stretched services.

Linda Cutts, practice manager of Freshwell Health Centre, told the meeting: “When we opened in 1993 we had under 4,500 registered patients, we now have over 7,000.

“The rate of increase has grown over that time.

“We simply cannot cope, we are fully stretched and we cannot keep absorbing more patients.

“On behalf of the patients, managers and staff I object to this development on the grounds a proper investigations has not been carried out by NHS England.”

More than 80 objections to the proposal were submitted online expressing concerns about the strain the new homes would put on the villages infrastructure.

John O’Reilly-Ciccioni (Conservative, Gosfield & Greenstead Green) said while the state of the villages facilities were irrelevant from a planning perspective, the damage to the countryside and landscape of Finchingfield would be irreversible.

He said: “This development is suggesting a new build unrelated to the village up in the open countryside which offends. Without a shadow of a doubt the surrounding landscape of Finchingfield should be protected.”

Gladman is expected to appeal against the decision.