Villagers are gearing up to protest against a “catastrophic” influx of new housing amid rising concerns over road safety.

Residents in Great Oakley are hitting out out against plans for 98 homes on land off Beaumont Road.

As well as attending the public consultation, villagers will be protesting outside the village hall with banners.

It comes after a development of 51 eco-homes was approved on land near the village allotments in 2018.

But the new proposals, by Great Oakley Developments, have been slammed by villagers, including Caroline Lindsay, from Harwich Road, who is spearheading a protest group.

She said: “Great Oakley is a wonderful village to live in and I welcome sustainable initiatives that keep the village school, store and pub open as long as those initiatives are commercially ethical. Sadly, this development plan represents a catastrophic failure to our community in its current form.

“Originally agreed in principle at 50 homes with a fabulous modern village hall with ample parking attached, it has now grown to 98 units and the village hall has vanished, along with most of the parking space.

“The two investors have an opportunity to resolve the dangerous conditions at the school entrance, but instead that has been changed to a plan that has removed the provision of a desperately-needed village amenity.”

The new homes have also intensified safety concerns in the area, especially around the school.

Residents have been looking at ways to slow traffic through the village after pedestrian Penelope Coggan, 73, died following a collision in Harwich Road last month.

Caroline added: “The new residents will have to commute to work by car, adding to the traffic treachery that the schoolchildren face daily.

“The school has now had the promise of resolution of their severe parking challenges for the families with young children cruelly ripped away.”

A spokesman for Great Oakley Developments said: “The proposed scheme currently being prepared is for a high-quality residential development of 98 homes which will complement the village.

“The scheme will provide a mix of apartments, bungalows and houses, as well as public open space and an improved public footpath through the site.

“The developers are also in discussions with the parish council about providing new and improved community facilities for the village, such as a new pavilion building for the sports field, a car park for the allotments, and a contribution towards improved accommodation at the existing village hall.

A consultation is being held at the village hall in Harwich Road today between 4pm and 8pm and tomorrow from 10am to 2pm.