SEVENTY homes will be built in a “small, quiet village” despite residents deeming it a “ridiculous idea”.
Housebuilder Denbury Homes was given the green light to start work on a housing development on land off The Folley in Layer de la Haye by Colchester Council’s planning committee on Thursday.
More than 50 residents wrote to the council to object to the blueprints before the meeting, with one saying the “ridiculous idea” would “ruin our village”.
The application brought together two earlier outline applications for homes to be built on the site.
Robert Eburne, planning manager for Denbury Homes, told the committee his team had listened to the feedback from villagers.
He said: “Before acquiring the site we reviewed correspondence on both planning permission files and noted that the majority expressed concerns about the use of Great House Farm Road as vehicle access.
“It is for this reason that we proposed the development be accessed via the approved access off The Folley but with cycle, pedestrian, and emergency access available as a through route to Great House Farm Road.”
Mr Eburne confirmed 34 per cent of the new homes will be available on affordable housing schemes which will be available only to “those in housing need within the immediate locality” and that Denbury Homes will provide funding for improvement to the village hall and nearby recreation ground once building starts.
The panel was told the blueprints did not include provisions for a children’s play area, despite the council’s planning rules saying it should, because the parish council did not deem it necessary.
But the plans were approved on the basis the site must include a play area after Marks Tey and Layer councillor Jackie Maclean pointed out the lack of one could be detrimental for children living on the estate.
“I do feel with this amount of houses we should still have a play area for that part of the development,” she said.
A vote saw seven councillors vote in favour of the development, while two voted against it.
Some villagers previously complained about the homes putting a strain on infrastructure in Layer de la Haye.
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