HEAVILY opposed plans which could see up to 55 houses built in a quiet village are set to be approved by a planning committee.
The blueprints involve up to 50 houses expected to be built on land off Peldon Road, Abberton, and a further five at the same site, submitted as a separate proposal.
Mersea Homes and a Mr P Saunders have applied for planning permission for the respective submissions, which have been recommended for approval by a Colchester Council planning officer.
The proposal, which involve a new vehicle drop-off point and access, will be approved subject to a legal agreement and conditions, a planning report states.
The pick-up and drop-off point has been suggested to serve Langenhoe Primary School, which lies just metres from the targeted land, while new footpaths would connect the school and the village.
The applicants state 15 of the homes would be affordable and a separate pedestrian and cycle access point, also from Peldon Road, will be provided if given the green light.
Colchester Council’s planning committee will now confirm whether it will rubberstamp the plans during a meeting on Thursday.
The blueprints have proved divisive, however, attracting scores of objectors including Abberton and Langenhoe Parish Council.
The parish council states it has accepted “some form of development will take place” on the land but argued the village cannot sustain more than 35 extra properties in total.
A spokesman said: “There were, and still are, a number of infrastructure issues that require to be properly addressed not least, highway safety and the proposed provision of school parking.
“The prospect of parents and small children attempting to cross the busy Peldon Road several times daily during term time during peak times is completely unacceptable.”
The parish council stressed it believes the proposals as they are should be rejected on the grounds they “represent too high a density for the sites”, as well as concerns for primary school families.
But the applicants state there is a “demonstrated need” for these houses and said it is “acceptable in principle”, with proposed access arrangements deemed acceptable on highway safety grounds.
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