POLICE are urging developers not to put up benches in a housing estate, over fears youngsters could congregation there.

Five parking bays, in Caxton Close, Tiptree, are set to be discarded to make way for trees and benches, after Colchester Council enforced an eight-year-old planning condition.

PC Mark Dundon, the neighbourhood specialist officer for Tiptree, said: “We will be contacting the developers in Caxton Close to strongly advise they do not go ahead with these plans.

“We carry out regular patrols in this area as we know there are issues with young people causing damage. We are taking steps to prevent this from happening.”

Residents voiced their opposition at a Tiptree Parish Council meeting. One said: “We might as well hand youngsters cans of lager and cocaine.”

Tiptree parish councillor Nick Mattinson, a resident of Caxton Close, said: “We don’t want this work completed, because the trees will grow within a few feet of a row of houses, blocking out light, and it will lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour and mean the removal of several parking spaces.

“Caxton Close already has major issues with groups of youths meeting in the area at night. It is a hotspot for the police to monitor for trouble.”

Taylor Wimpey, which owns the development, has employed landscaping company, James Blake Development Services, to carry out the work on its behalf.

A letter distributed to residents by the company in October, said: “This work has been outstanding for many years and Colchester Council is insisting this must be completed.”

Vince Pearce, planning services spokesman at Colchester Council, said: “Planning consent was granted on the basis a landscaping scheme would be agreed for the development. We have had no written representations from any of the residents. Taylor Wimpey is now carrying out the landscaping work to the specification detailed in the original plans.”