PLANS for ambitious new garden communities across the district have been revealed.

Braintree Council, Colchester Council and Tendring Council have been working together along with Essex County Council since 2014 to address growth issues.

North Essex must build more than 2,300 new homes per year along with the required infrastructure and employment.

Draft plans show three garden communities could be located to the west of Braintree, to the west of Colchester on the border with Braintree District and on the border of Colchester and Tendring.

Graham Butland, leader of Braintree Council, said: “North Essex will be an area of significant growth and we are embracing the need to build new homes, create jobs and improve and develop its infrastructure for the benefit of existing and new communities.

"We are working together to promote sustainable growth across district boundaries.”

Three sites have been put forward for the west of Braintree- a 1.5 hectare site at the junction of the B1256 and Blake End Road, a huge 910 hectare site being proposed by the Andrewsfield New Settlement Consortium, a group of landowners in the area, and a 135 hectare site known as Boxted Wood promoted by Galliard Homes.

Parish councils in the district said they would rather avoid large developments.

Rayne Parish Council said: "Taking the minimum of 12,000 dwellings would have a significant impact on Rayne and other adjoining parishes.

"This is unacceptable without cast-iron evidence that all aspects of the infrastructure affecting these parishes are to be addressed physically before the first foundation trench is even dug.

"It is critical on all aspects of the local infrastructure is physically addressed before development begins. Belief in promises has been stretched beyond its elastic limit and only sufficient physical activity will satisfy residents."

Planning officers said green buffers would be required to Great Saling, Stebbing Green and Rayne, to ensure that they preserve their unique characters.

Another major site is being promoted by Gateway 120 over a span of 854 hectares, including land at Temple Border on the edge of Braintree.

The site as presently submitted according to the developer could deliver between 11,000 to 14,000 homes of which perhaps 4,000 would be in Braintree District.

Further sites have been submitted in this area, which include land wholly within Colchester borough.

Paul Smith, leader of Colchester Council said: “Central to the work we have been doing is looking at the needs of residents and businesses in the future and ensuring those needs, like schools and local medical facilities, are provided upfront.

"We want places where people have the best chance of living healthy and happy lives, which give them opportunities for the job and home they want and the lifestyle they want, where they have control over their own environment."

These initial plans will be discussed at Braintree Council's Local Plan Sub Committee meeting on the May 25.