ANGER has been aired at the plan to kickstart a controversial £48million new housing, leisure and business estate.

Harding Estates’ blueprints for the Harwich Valley complex, on land between the A120 and Stour Close in Dovercourt, include 297 homes, along with a six-screen cinema, supermarket with petrol station, 63-bed hotel, pub, shops, restaurants, drive-thrus and business units.

However, the developer has lodged a separate application to build the houses first with access via Stour Close, rather than building a roundabout first to provide access from the A120.

Stour Close residents have hit the roof and Harwich town councillor Pam Morrison, who said she was fiercely against the proposal, has now made representations to Tendring Council on behalf of concerned residents.

Mrs Morrison also claims she has been advised by Tendring Council’s planning department the application is set to be refused, although the council denies any decision has been made.

She added: “This would be dreadful for those living in the vicinity and I made it absolutely clear that I will fight this all the way.

“I am delighted to have been advised that Essex Highways shared my concerns and the application is to be refused.”

Peter Keenan, director of Q+A Planning Ltd, which works as a planning agent for Harding Estates (East Anglia) Ltd, said the only change in the latest application relates to when the roundabout will be delivered.

“The applicant is fully committed to delivering the roundabout consistent with the extant permission,” he added.

He confirmed the development itself has not changed and the reserved matters application sent to Tendring Council last June is still yet to be approved or refused.

A Tendring Council spokesman said: “The planning application hasn’t been updated and is still awaiting determination. “We’re in correspondence with Essex Highways about their comments.”