A housing developer is challenging Braintree Council’s claims about damage to “heritage assets” at a planning appeal.

Gladman Developers wants to build 80 homes in Finchingfield.

If approved the size of the village would increase by 25 per cent.

Braintree Council refused the development but an appeal was launched at the Masonic Hall on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the council said:”The developer’s plans are not sufficient to outweigh the harm done to cultural heritage assets in the village.

“What the developers are proposing will result in significant harm done to these heritage assets.”

A heritage asset is something which may be of interest to archaeologists in the future.

A spokesman from Gladman Developers, on the opening day of the ap- peal, replied: “Braintree Council has been unspecific about what heritage assets it actually means as no heritage assets were actually mentioned when our proposal was refused.

“The farmhouse is not a heritage asset and cannot be defined as one because we found it had no past or present function as a venue.”

It is understood the council is claiming a listed farmhouse would suffer harm.

The council also claims the devel- opment would not fit in with the character of the village.

The development if approved, would include 40 “affordable” homes.

The planning inquiry will last an estimated two weeks with the district council and the developer putting their arguments forward and a site visit planned.

A final decision will be made later this month.

The inquiry continues.