VICTORIAN barracks that once housed Colchester’s paratroopers could be turned into hundreds of homes.

Development company George Wimpey wants to convert the Meeanee and Hyderabad barracks in Mersea Road into 500 flats and houses.

It is thought to be the single biggest application in the town in the past four years.

However, there are concerns the extra homes will exacerbate the situation on the town’s clogged-up roads. Colchester MP Bob Russell said the construction of hundreds of family homes would lead to children travelling across town to St Helena School, or elsewhere.

He said the blueprint will add to opposition against Essex County Council’s plan to close two secondary schools in the south of Colchester, Alderman Blaxill and the Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College.

He said: “This is yet another new housing development which will inevitably have children living there.

“It flies in the face of the decision to close two schools in the south of Colchester.”

Mr Russell said he would be pleased if most of the historical buildings, most recently occupied by the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Parachute Regiment, were retained.

He added: “It’s encouraging at a time when we’re still in a recession that things are happening with Meeanee and Hyderabad.”

Amy Webb, spokeswoman for George Wimpey, said: “In light of the high levels of sales we are experiencing at our Solus and Churchill Gate developments, we are looking ahead to our next local development at the Hyderabad and Meeanee barracks off Mersea Road.

“The current planning application is for 436 new build homes laid out in three attractive avenues.

“This will shortly be supplemented by an application for the refurbishment of existing historically and architecturally important buildings into 64 additional homes.”

The development will comprise two, three and four-bedroom homes, and will include housing association properties.”

The two applications submitted to Colchester Council detail demolishing some of the buildings on the 33-acre site to build the 436 new houses.

A design and access statement reveals there will be a second application to convert buildings, including the century-old officers’ quarters, into 64 homes.

Development history

THE proposed conversion of Hyderabad and Meeanee Barracks, named after an Indian city and nearby village, forms the latest part of the Colchester Garrison Urban Village.

The barracks were first established in 1855, but most of the existing buildings were built a little more than 100 years ago.

A masterplan for about 2,500 homes, which included outline planning permission, was approved in 2003.

Soldiers finally finished moving into the new £560million Merville barracks in January.

Attempts to open up the only Roman chariot racing circuit in Britain, found below some of the buildings, to the public have so far failed to take off amid planning disputes and a lack of funding.

Last month, Colchester Council granted permission to turn the cavalry barracks, off Butt Road, into 54 houses and flats.