CONTROVERSIAL plans to build up to 55 houses on land near Abberton Reservoir are set to be approved by a planning committee this week.

The blueprints from Mersea Homes and Mr P Saunders involve up to 50 houses for land off Peldon Road, Abberton, and a further five at the same site, submitted as a separate proposal.

The plans, which involve a new vehicle drop-off point and access, are set to 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.

The application was discussed by the planning committee in June, but a decision was deferred allow an investigation into an "improved turning area and drop off point in school grounds".

The decision was also put off to allow for a probe into possible "road calming speeds" on Peldon Road, a footway link and a crossing point.

But a report to go before planners on Thursday said: "The additional information requested by the committee does not have an impact on the assessment of the proposed development, which has previously been carried out by your officers, and only requires certain aspects of the schemes (related to highway matters) to be investigated further.

"The recommendation remains one for approval subject to relevant conditions for both applications, as per the report that was presented to members [in June]."

The blueprints have proved divisive, attracting more than 30 letters of objection, including from 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.”