PLANS to build up to 95 homes in a small village are ‘not needed and not wanted’, according to residents.

Gladman Developments is proposing a new residential development of around 95 homes on land off Wethersfield Road in Finchingfield.

Residents discovered the proposals after developers distributed leaflets to 330 households and businesses during the week.

The plans have been rejected by residents and the chairman of Finchingfield Parish Council Graham Tobbell.

He said: “There has been no land here allocated for development in the draft local plan.

“The development is not wanted, there’s just no need for that amount of housing.

“Our parish is just two villages – Finchingfield and Cornish Hall End.

“The reason we have no need is there’s no demand, that’s why Braintree Council say development for the future should be in areas that allow people to get to work and have developing businesses. We are a long way from anything like that and it’s a small village, it’s also chaos if there’s an accident on the roads here.”

Developers are trying to promote the scheme by claiming it will bring a wide range of benefits to Finchingfield in the form of high quality housing and up to 40 per cent affordable housing. A statement on the developer’s website claimed a planning application would be submitted to Braintree Council after a public consultation.

It said: “Whilst we fully understand why people may have concerns, they need to be balanced against the requirement to provide much needed new houses, to meet the differing needs of an increasing population and address housing affordability.”

To have your say, visit your-views.co.uk/finchingfield.