DETAILED designs of the first 23 homes in a unique village estate that will "encourage neighbourliness" have been revealed.

Village Makers has designed the two to four bedroom PassivHaus homes in the development, which will be known as Oakley Orchards and will include a number of communal orchards.

It comes after outline permission was given for 51 homes on the site, in Beaumont Road, Great Oakley and full permission for a play area, new village hall, shop and possible doctors' surgery.

The latest designs put forward show a herb garden in the centre of the site and the houses laid out in four circular blocks around a planted green.

In a statement to the council, Village Makers said: "Our developments are thought of as a new neighbourhood for an existing settlement.

"They are complementary to the existing village and take design cues from local buildings which work because they have been adapted and cared for over time.

"We plan food production areas and attractive open spaces into a site, we do not use the entire site for housing.

"We create a sense of place and wellbeing; our developments are a unique living environment."

The low carbon, energy efficient homes are built in Poland and then shipped over and put up in about five days - the whole process takes about eight weeks.

Tendring Council has final say on the plans.