ANGRY activists are urging council officials to vote against a proposal to feed water drainage from a forthcoming development site into a watercourse.

Back in 2017 outline plans for a 132-home estate on farmland connecting Clacton and Holland-on-Sea were approved by a planning inspector on appeal.

The 21-acre site, located between Valley Farm Holiday Park and Happy Valley Bowling Club, had originally been rejected by Tendring Council.

Developers are now asking for permission to disperse water drainage into what residents say is the already overflowing Picker's Ditch watercourse, which runs through Sladbury’s Lane.

Unhappy homeowners have now launched a campaign calling on the planning committee to oppose the suggested drainage system.

Gazette:

A spokeswoman for the Sladbury’s Lane Community Group, which is spearheading the campaign, said it believes it would be devastating if the application was approved.

“The drainage pipes cannot cope with the amount of water as it is, and that is without the additional water generated from the planned development,” she said.

“All residents of Tendring who use the narrow country road of Sladbury’s Lane are already being affected by regular flooding of the road and pathway.

“This has caused accidents and damage to vehicles and will undoubtedly increase further, with greater flooding and the additional traffic generated.

“We must oppose this drainage system for this development, if we do not want the situation we already have to become worse and worse.”

Mehmet Hasan, who lives in Sladbury’s Lane opposite the proposed development site, echoed the opinions and views of the group’s spokeswoman.

He said: “We already have regular flooding issues when it rains, so how can they approve more water being fed into an already flooding watercourse?

“It is a narrow lane, so we are hoping the council see the flooding issues.”

Last year, Robert Giles submitted detailed plans for the development, which will include three one-bedroom homes and 48 two-bedroom homes.

It will also feature 62 three-bedroom homes and 19 four-bedroom homes and more than ten acres of public space, including a new wetland area and children’s play area.

Phase 2 Planning & Development Ltd were contacted for comment, but did not respond at the time of going to press.