Councillors have slammed proposals by business leaders to massively increase the number of homes built in Braintree.
The East of England Business Group (EEBG), an umbrella group for a range of industry and business organisations in the region, claims 10,267 additional homes are needed for the Braintree district by 2021 to cope with population growth, instead of the 7,700 proposed in the draft East of England plan.
A public examination of the draft plan, which will provide the development blueprint for Braintree and the region for the next 20 years, is taking place.
The final version is set to be published and come into force in February or March next year.
However, Braintree councillor James Abbott, who represents Bradwell, Silver End and Rivenhall, said residents would be "totally opposed" to their villages "concreted over".
The Green Party member said: "We are all getting fed up of developers telling local people where they want to build.
"Their desire to expand never seems to end, it is unbelievable."
Roger Humber, planning spokesman for the EEBG, said: "If the people needed for local jobs are not to be crowded out, then an increase of about a third in the number of houses planned is realistic."
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Wednesday, February 8, 2006
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