Residents are up in arms over a proposal to put 300 new homes on what is currently arable farmland on the outskirts of Halstead.

On Tuesday, Gladman Developments formally requested a screening opinion from Braintree Council in connection with proposals for a new housing estate off Oak Road, south of the town.

Developers will ask councils for a screening opinion to find out whether they would need to pay for an environmental impact assessment to be carried out prior to the submission of a planning application.

But news of the proposal has sparked alarm for nearby residents.