CALLS to abandon a controversial development which will see 1,000 homes built at a former firing range have been heightened.

The homes are due to be built at Middlewick Ranges when the Ministry of Defence sells it next year, following the announcement of its closure in 2016.

As a result, campaigners fear an urban sprawl stretching from Mersea Road to Old Health will be established as 1,000 homes are built.

However, opponents of the plans have now been given hope following a speech by Boris Johnson at last week’s Conservative party conference.

The Prime Minister said houses should not be built on “green fields” but instead on “brownfield” sites.

Mr Johnson used his party conference speech to acknowledge fears the countryside could be “desecrated by ugly new homes”.

Read more: Council is accused of letting down residents with Middlewick housing plans

A shift in focus will now see increasing construction on “brownfield” sites - reusing land which has been built on in the past.

Colchester’s High Steward and former Lib Dem MP, Sir Bob Russell, has now called on the Prime Minister to “practice what you preach” in an open letter.

“New houses ‘would not be built on green fields’ is what you told the conference,” said Sir Bob.

“The reality, however, is somewhat different to your rhetoric.

“What makes it worse, here in Colchester it is your Government which is selling green fields for housing.

“If your Government no longer wants this rare expanse of natural open countryside adjacent to urban Colchester to continue to be used for military training purposes, then let it remain undeveloped.

“Hand it to Essex Wildlife Trust and Colchester Council – for environmental safeguarding and for the benefit of Colchester’s residents.

“Your Government owns these green fields, you could stop them being lost to development – assuming, of course, what you told the Conservative Party Conference was genuine.”

Following Wednesday’s conference, it is understood there are discussions within the cabinet about whether the Tories should alter their manifesto pledge to build 300,000 homes a year.

Mr Johnson said: “You can see how much room there is to build the homes that young families need in this country, not on green fields, not just jammed in the south east, but beautiful homes on brownfield sites where homes make sense.”

When Middlewick was last addressed at a Local Plan committee meeting, Karen Syrett, Colchester Council’s planning and housing manager, said: “Nobody local wants any development, I don’t think it’s just Middlewick, but we do have to allocate it.

“It has to go somewhere or it would be a free-for-all and I don’t think anyone would welcome that.”