THOUSANDS of homes will go ahead in Mile End and Braiswick, despite residents’ objections.

This means up to 2,200 homes could be built in the area.

Colchester Council’s cabinet agreed on Wednesday to recommend to the full council the core planning strategy, which dictates the number of new homes in the borough, remains.

However, there was some hope for campaigning residents as councillors said they were trying to get the number of houses down and would review the development, which is not due to be started until at least 2016.

Residents had hoped the abolition of regional planning strategies by the new Government, and with them housing targets, would see the council abandon its housing plans for the area.

Several tried to convince the councillors to do so at the meeting.

Dan Caffin said: “98 per cent of people are opposed to the housing. The transport structure is deplorable in Colchester. This has to be addressed.

“In our area it is deteriorating all the time. It takes an hour to get from one side of Colchester to the other and it is only three miles.

“Another 2,200 homes is 4,000 cars. What are people going to do?”

Pete Hewitt added: “The infrastructure in the north of the town can’t cope. We don’t need 2,000-plus houses on greenfield sites.”

Others said the housing was not viable and making a change now would affect the town for 1,000 years.

But the cabinet felt unable to dump the strategy, instead saying it would do everything it could to help.

Lyn Barton, councillor responsible for planning and sustainability, said: “I do have every sympathy with Mile End. They have lost a lot. I am meeting developers and officers to see if anyone is willing to move forward with brownfield sites.”

Council leader Anne Turrell added: “We are looking at ways to reduce numbers on that site.”

She said any work would not begin until 2016 and the cabinet voted to review the core strategy again in 2012.

Mrs Turrell said: “We may well be able to change it at a later date. There is not much we can do at the moment, other than move housing to other areas.”