CONTROVERSIAL plans to demolish a popular nursery to make way for a new 180-home estate have been recommended for approval by council planners.

Kelsworth Ltd wants to build the estate on land at St Johns Plant Centre, in Earls Hall Drive, Clacton.

Enforcement action was previously set to be taken by Tendring Council against the nursery - after it traded as a retail garden centre and hosted a Christmas Wonderland attraction - but was put on hold after previous plans for 195 homes were submitted.

But those plans for the 18-acre site were rejected by the council's planning committee and an appeal was dismissed by a Government inspector.

The new plans for 180 homes and eight mixed commercial units, roads and open space will go before the planning committee on Wednesday, March 30, and have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

A report said the development is "acceptable” with reasonable planning conditions in place, including a £233,118 contribution towards early years education and a £104,000 contribution to bus services.

Gazette:

St Osyth Parish Council has “strongly” objected to the plans and a petition of 44 signatures has been submitted along with 13 letters of objection.

The parish council said: “While it is set on a brown field site, the parish council maintain the view this would be an overdevelopment of the site.

“The design remains unsympathetic to the rural area and the demolition and removal of the existing greenhouses would cause considerable noise and disruption for residents.

“Given the significant increase in traffic along the B1027, especially during the summer months, the parish council does not agree the development would not unacceptably impact upon highway safety or severely impact on the road network.”

The developer said the limited range of criticisms raised at the appeal have been addressed by the revised application.

"The homes are designed to a high standard and to reflect the character and appearance of other homes in the area," it said.

“The development is intended to be a fresh beginning for the site, with modern and efficient homes which are clearly of their time but in a setting that is common to the town and wider area.”