ACTION has been taken to legally protect a farm earmarked for housing.

Colchester Council has taken the first step in making Battleswick Farm in Rowhedge listed in light of the farm and its associated buildings being a nationally important group of heritage assets.

Historic England will assess the evidence and the building.

A spokesperson for Colchester Council said: “From a brief inspection, the barn appears to the 18th or 19th century in origin and could be the structure shown on the 1777 map of Essex. The farmhouse itself is older and possibly the 15th or 16th century in date.

“If the buildings are listed, then their setting becomes a material consideration for future applications for development in the vicinity - and the council has a statutory duty to preserve these settings.

“Consent is also required for works which affect the character of the buildings being of special interest.”

Up to 100 homes are being considered for Battleswick Farm within the Colchester draft Local Plan, which will be published early next year now the public consultation has ended.

Councillor Mike Lilley (Lab) has said if the application is successful, alternative sites would have to be found.

He said: “I do believe the Local Plan is flawed in so much as it’s trying to fit in a certain amount of houses in and around rural areas.

“Rowhedge has taken a lot over the years and they’ve been accepted because residents know we need them, but this site is a step too far.

“It begs the question: How have we reached this point where we’re just building on historic sites around Colchester - and what’s next? It makes no sense whatsoever.

“There’s also Middlewick Ranges which is another fight because we want to keep our green spaces.

“Hopefully we can get Battleswick Farm removed from the Local Plan and keep Rowhedge a small rural village without too much houses and cars.”

However, Phil George, chairman of the East Donyland Parish Council, is reluctant to celebrate the move prematurely.

He said: “It’s potentially a positive step in just highlighting the historical aspects of this site, which is something we focused on in our submission against the Local Plan. But it’s all theoretical at the moment.”