THE number of new homes needed in Tendring has been set at 9,350.

Tendring Council’s local plan committee has agreed to a figure of 550 per year over the next 17 years.

The decision comes after the district council’s local plan process was labelled as a “farce” in November following another about-turn that saw the number of new homes needed increased back up to 10,000 from 8,000, despite originally being set at 12,000.

The latest housing figure for the local plan - the blueprint for development in the district – comes after the council commissioned John Hollis, one of the leading demographers in the country, to carry out an independent review of all the data.

Tendring Council said there had been pressure from other councils for a higher figure of 597 properties a year, although councillors wanted it to be set around 480 a year.

But they were told that 550 was the best estimate based on the evidence and that if they accepted the lower figure the plan would not be approved by a Government inspector.

Neil Stock, leader of the council and chairman of the local plan committee, said everything had been done to analyse the information and come up with a credible figure.

“We all wanted to get the number down as low as we can but we do not have a magic wand,” he said.

“We would all like to see fewer houses but we have to follow the rules.

“We either come up with a credible decision ourselves or that decision will be taken out of our hands and made for us and then we will be at the mercy of the developers.

“Then we will end up with anything they want – anywhere they want it.”

Tom Howard, cabinet member for finance, said it was very unlikely that anything like 550 homes a year would actually be built, based on previous years.

Mr Stock said the committee will now look at important decisions such as the type of homes they want for Tendring and where they should go.

UKIP councillor Jeff Bray added: “I am disappointed that the overall number could not in the end be reduced further.

“Our group, supported by the Holland Residents’ Assocation, put forward an amendment that would have produced a figure of 480 new dwellings per year, a figure we believe would have been more realistic, but this was defeated.

“In the end the adopted number was 550 per year.

“Given that the overall number back in May of this year was 12,000 in total, I take comfort in the fact that the committee has, through good sense and hard work, reduced this by around a quarter.

“Although I think it fair to say that most members would have preferred a lower number, most it seems, bowed to government imposed pressure, and the persistent unsubstantiated threat banded around by some, that government inspectors would come along and take over.”