PLANS for hundreds of houses on a former business park have been overhauled following dozens of complaints.

Developer Persimmon Homes was advised to go back to the drawing board by Colchester Council following a meeting over its proposed development in Cowdray Avenue.

The home builders have now submitted a revised scheme for the Cowdray Centre site.

A report by Persimmon said: “A number of responses to the formal consultation on the application for planning permission were received, both from statutory consultees and other interested parties, including residents of the houses to the south east of the site that face towards Cowdray Avenue.

“Many issues have been addressed through updates to the technical reports that accompanied the application for planning permission, but some issues relate to the design of the proposed scheme.” Persimmon first submitted plans for 272 new homes in January. While part of the Cowdray Centre will remain – everything west of The Range – the rest of the site is now earmarked for the housing.

However, Persimmon was advised to look again at the scheme after complaints about car parking dominating the public realm and the housing lacking character.

Following several meetings with planners at the council, the new proposals include building 262 homes, parking spaces and open spaces for residents.

The report said: “There are many similarities between the scheme submitted as part of the application for planning permission and the revised layout.

“The application for planning permission has been revised to propose the demolition of all existing buildings and the redevelopment of the site to create 262 one, two and three bedroom houses and apartments plus associated roads, car parking, landscaping and public open space.”

As well as some car parking being more hidden than it was previously, the plans have introduced more open space to the middle of the development and adjusted the height of some of the houses.

The new proposals will go before Colchester Council’s planning committee.