INFRASTRUCTURE first was the message from residents as the final public consultation opened for Braintree Council’s local plan.

The consultation is the final chance for residents to have their say on where thousands of homes will be built between now and 2033.

One of the proposed plans is three 'garden communities', each set to deliver 2,500 homes - west of Braintree, at West Tey, and to the east of Colchester close to Essex University.

Walter Hart, of Victoria Street, Braintree, said: “I am not against the development of garden communities and I think they need to be built in some cases.

“Braintree is a growing area and it has been growing for a long time, not just in the last 50 years but in the last 20 years.

“The main worry I have got is the transport infrastructure. One train an hour to London is not going to satisfy commuters’ demands.

“If they haven’t got public transport infrastructure we will all struggle.”

Manor Street, Braintree, has also been earmarked as an economic development area and Braintree Council revealed its plans to redevelop the area at a separate consultation on Thursday.

Mr Hart said he was worried that changes to the existing bus park would "not provide as much capacity" for residents.

Maude Instone, a resident of Broad Road, said Braintree’s road system was another serious concern.

She said: “The development off Broad Road is going to involve so much more traffic but until they have sorted the A131 they really should not be building a single house.

“I understand we have got to build more houses but sorting out the roads should be a priority.

“I know the A120 dualling will not happen immediately but they could improve the A131 junction at Marks Farm."

Graeme Barker said “everyone” he had spoken to was concerned about the traffic new developments would cause, and also said that certain details on the plans were lacking.

He said: “There is big bits of land that but right up against existing properties but they give you no details about what is going to be built there.

“There is still a lack of information.

“There is a 1,750 development planned for near my house. There are times already when we cannot get into Braintree because of the traffic but now another 1,750 homes are coming.

“Our facilities are not built to cope.”

Peter Jagg, a resident of Braintree, said he had serious concerns about the loss of greenbelt and farming land in the area.

He said: "None of us want to see the countryside covered in bricks and it is a lot of house they are talking about.

"If you increase the population you are going to put more strain on services."

The final consultation period closes on Friday, July 28, at 5pm.

A draft version of the plan will then be sent, along with residents comments to the planning inspectorate.

Visit www.braintree.gov.uk/publicationdraftlp to comment.