Plans for 90 homes in Copford put on hold by council

Anchor, the housing association which runs Dorothy Curtice Court in Copford, wants to build an additional three-storey assisted living block and two-storey sheltered accommodation block at the site off London Road.

The blueprints had been recommended for approval ahead of a council meeting last week, but Colchester Council’s planning committee voted to defer the application while planning bosses negotiate with the housing association.

The council has received hundreds of objections from concerned residents since the plans were first submitted.

Protest - campaigners urge developer to 'not attack cul-de-sac' (Image: Newsquest)

The size of the project is among the concerns raised because, despite the land being allocated for development in the council’s local plan, the plans call for 20 homes more than the allocation.

Resident Stephen Brand received a round of applause after voicing his concerns to the committee.

“If the local plan is the template for development, then this application clearly fails to meet the local policy,” he said.

“By allocating 90 dwellings when the policy clearly states a maximum of 70 dwellings, this application must fail.”

Campaign - Copford residents protesting against access to the development via Queensbury Avenue (Image: Newsquest)

Access to the development using a nearby cul-de-sac, Queensbury Avenue, is also worrying nearby residents.

Other access points along and off London Road have been considered and discounted, planners explained.

Planner Karen Crowder-James said: “Anchor has also fully assessed taking the access via Dorothy Curtice Court however constructing a road of similar size to Queensbury Avenue would result in the permanent loss of at least eight existing social homes and possibly more during construction.”

A vote saw six councillors vote to put the plans on hold while planning bosses negotiate with the applicant over several aspects of the scheme, while three councillors voted against deferral.

Tiptree councillor Roger Mannion felt the blueprints were “ill-conceived or ill-thought-out”.

“I do appreciate the need for assisted living,” he said. “It is a necessity in the city but this isn’t the site, or if it is, it isn’t the site for 90-plus homes.”

The planning committee will debate the proposals again at a later date.