A DECISION on whether to press ahead with plans to create a 9,000 home new town near Colchester will be discussed by councillors at an extraordinary meeting tonight.

Colchester Council is hosting the special meeting this evening to discuss section one of the borough's Local Plan.

Section one of the Local Plan, made in conjunction with Tendring and Braintree councils, included plans for 43,000 new homes in three huge new towns.

After examination, Planning Inspector Roger Clews told the authorities two of the new towns - at West Tey and west of Braintree - were unviable.

However, he said the third new town or garden community, can be built between Greenstead and Wivenhoe, on land near the University of Essex.

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The new town will eventually have 9,000 homes, with section one of the planning setting out the strategic direction for housing growth in the area through to 2033.

In order for the plan to be adopted, planning consent and funding approval for the new A120 to A133 link road and the so-called Rapid Transit System must be secured before any development forming part of the garden community gets planning approval.

In his letter confirming the first section of the plan can be adopted, Mr Clews also confirmed the authority’s housing targets were accurate.

This means Colchester needs to be 920 homes each year until 2033, Braintree 716 and Tendring 550.

Once section one has been adopted, the authorities can move on to section two of their local plans separately, which will set out where more localised development goes ahead.

Every councillor on the council will be at the meeting tonight and will have a vote on whether to adopt the proposals.

The council is run by a coalition of Lib Dem and Labour councillors, most of whom are likely to support the plan.

There are 22 Conservative councillors, three Highwoods Independents, one Green party councillor, 13 Lib Dem and 11 Labour on the council, as well as one empty seat.

Section one will also need to be approved by both Tendring and Braintree councils.

The meeting will be broadcast live on Youtube from 6pm this evening.

To watch it, visit www.youtube.com/user/ColchesterCBC.

You can also find more about the agenda for the meeting here.