ANGRY residents descended upon a public meeting to protest against plans for 12,000 extra homes in Tendring.

More than 30 residents were outside Clacton Town Hall with placards before a meeting of Tendring Council’s Local Plan committee on Thursday.

The committee is looking at sites it wants to earmark for housing over the next 17 years.

Carlo Guglielmi, cabinet member for planning, said the council’s original plan for 6,000 homes was scrapped after Government planning inspectors made it clear the blueprint would be rejected.

He said if a new plan did not include enough homes, it would then leave the district open to unwarranted development.

But Clacton resident Colin Sargeant, speaking on behalf of Ukip supporters who turned out to protest, said the district could not cope with an extra 12,000 homes.

“The existing limited services cannot cope now,” he said.

“Colchester Hospital went into special measures, there’s a lack of GPs and overcrowded schools.

“How will Colchester Hospital cope with 35,000 additional people from the Tendring area?"