Villagers could be asked to vote on whether Stanway, near Colchester, should become a town.

Parish councillor Ian McCord claims rapid development of houses and businesses, including shops and restaurants at Tollgate, means Stanway has outgrown village status.

And he believes residents could use the title of town as a bargaining tool for improved facilities, like a leisure centre.

Mr McCord will put his proposal for a referendum at Thursday's Stanway Parish Council meeting.

It is set to be backed by fellow councillor Eddie Plowright, who first suggested it months ago as a joke after Tiptree launched a similar bid.

Residents in Tiptree went to the polls last year but the bid for town status did not get enough support.

Mr McCord said: "I have given the matter much thought and have decided that such a proposition is not completely silly.

"Few people I speak to think Stanway is a village, many see it as just an extension of Colchester.

"It is time to let the people decide and redefine ourselves."

Instead of village shops and pubs, he said, there were big-name supermarkets and stores such as Sainsbury's and Comet and restaurant chains such as Harvester.

Mr McCord added: "Just look around to neighbouring areas that claim to be towns and compare their facilities to Stanway. Can Wivenhoe, Manningtree, Mersea or Brightlingsea offer most of what Stanway has? Stanway has everything necessary to be called a town, both facilities and population."

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