COLCHESTER Council leader took a leaf out of President Elect Donald Trump’s book by declaring: “We will build the infrastructure and we will get developers to pay for it!”.

Mr Smith was speaking during a debate on controversial garden villages during a full meeting of Colchester Council.

As part of the borough’s local plan, which sets out where can be developed between next year and 2032, two ‘new towns’ are planned - one between Colchester and Tendring, which would have 6,608 homes, and one west of Marks Tey, dubbed ‘West Tey’, which would have 16,858 homes.

The Lib Dem council leader was facing criticism from Conservative councillors, who called on the administration to press ahead with the eastern ‘town’ but to temporarily halt plans for West Tey.

He said: “Garden settlements are a way of doing development differently.

“In the past, development has not worked well.

“This way of doing things has left us with an infrastructure deficit. We need to do things differently.

“Instead of relying on developers, we, the councils, [Colchester Council, Essex County Council, Braintree Council and Tendring Council] will forward fund the infrastructure so we can ensure that infrastructure is there first.

“I would love to do this and claim it back from someone else.

“In the words of the President Elect, we’re going to build the infrastructure and we’re going to get the developers to pay for it.”

Mr Smith was also responding to comments from Rosie Pearson, of campaign group CAUSE, which is opposed to the West Tey plans.

She said: “We’re adamantly behind the need for more homes - as long as they’re in the right place.”

Mrs Pearson added a 8,500-strong petition against the plans had been submitted and the area would not be able to cope with 24,000 additional cars and 10,000 rail commuters.

She added: “The risks are huge, do you understand them?

“[The plan] creates more infrastructure problems than it solves and there are plenty of brownfield sites available.”

Mark Goacher, of the Colchester Green Party, warned of “huge urban sprawl” and added: “There are brownfield sites which are still not being used, like former Odeon. Once it’s gone it’s gone forever.”

Councillors voted to approve plans to deliver the garden villages.