REVISED plans could see an 18 home estate built on an equestrian centre - just months after major plans for 44 homes were thrown out.

The plans have been submitted, by the owners of Braeside Equestrian Centre, Great Burches Road, Thundersley, to Castle Point Council.

They insist the business is no longer viable as an equestrian centre.

The plans would see the site close, including the 18 buildings on the site, and transformed into a housing estate.

In December, the original plans, submitted last August, were thrown out by Castle Point Council, as the plans were considered to be a significant overdevelopment on the site, as well as the proposal representing a “socially and environmentally unsustainable development, likely to result in significant traffic.”

A number of residents lodged objections against the initial plans, with the fresh application validated this week, and with considerably fewer homes.

The Equestrian Centre opened in 2013 on the site of Braeside Manor Farm, and, according to its website, was “slowly becoming Essex’s most prestigious equestrian centre”.

When the initial application was submitted, there were calls for it to remain as an equestrian centre.

The owner stated: “The equestrian centre has experienced ongoing losses.

“Despite significant investments in the site, the market for a fully liveried equestrian service has declined in recent years. “Government funding for education courses that were being run from the site has been cut.

“In addition, the riding school that was operating on the site has had to shut due to financial reasons. The site is presently operated in a self-service capacity with facilities used sporadically by customers, which has resulted in substantial financial losses. “ The new plans will be considered.