PROPOSALS which could see 70 homes built in a village on the outskirts of Colchester has divided opinion among residents.
Housebuilder Denbury Homes has submitted its plans to build a huge development on agricultural land off The Folley, Layer de la Haye.
The application brings together two previously approved plans to construct 15 and 55 dwellings in the village, taking into consideration previous comments and objections.
The huge site spans the size of more than 39 Olympic-sized swimming pools and could soon be home to 70 properties, including 24 affordable homes and 154 parking spaces.
It’s estimated it will increase the village’s population by more than nine per cent.
Despite most of the land already being earmarked for development in the council’s pre-existing local plan, concerned residents have written to Colchester Council to voice their worries with issues surrounding infrastructure seeming to be top of the agenda.
An objector noted: “Our electricity supply is always failing. Our sewers cannot cope and the water supply is already stretched.
“You are going to ruin what is a beautiful village. Please stop.”
Some fear the sharp uprise in Layer de la Haye’s population will put a strain on the nearest GP surgery and primary school.
Writing to planning officers, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex warned: “The existing GP practices do not have capacity to accommodate the additional growth resulting from the proposed development.”
The NHS also suggested the housebuilder would be required to pay £42,750 towards the cost of an extension to the Malting Green Surgery, in Malting Green Road, but it is unclear if an additional doctor would be recruited and, if so, how their salary would be funded.
But the feedback isn’t entirely negative, with one hopeful villager writing: “I think this looks a good option, and I hope the social housing goes to local families from the village where possible.”
A pilot scheme launched by Marks Tey and Layer councillor Andrew Ellis during his tenure as the council’s planning and housing boss will see people from the village offered first refusal on the new affordable homes.
He explained: “The affordable housing will be for people from Layer de la Haye as long as they meet the right criteria.
“If we can’t fill the affordable housing, it will be cascaded out to residents of the surrounding villages. We want to keep families together.”
Villagers will be invited to a meeting with the developer to discuss the future of the site.
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