NEARLY 1,000 people have signed a petition objecting to 1,000 homes on Ministry of Defence land in Colchester.

As part of the draft Local Plan, Colchester Council has suggested Middlewick Ranges could be a site for new homes.

Residents are now calling for the land to be turned into a country park to preserve its natural beauty.

They had also made calls for an extension on the consultation period, which closed on Friday, so more people have a chance to comment on the plans.

Julie Ennifer, of Mersea Road, Colchester, set up a petition with the aim of getting 1,000 signatures and has already nearly reached her target.

She said there are protected species on the land and potential archaeological finds which could be lost if the area was built on.

She said: “I have been walking my dog there for two years and I got chatting to people there, they told me about the planned development and I thought it was dreadful.

“It’s such a beautiful place, we are going to lose green space.

“It’s an amazing place and people want to save it.

“We want to turn it into a country park so the community can use it a lot more.

“We could get a lake there like Highwoods Country Park.”

The MoD announced it would sell off Middlewick Ranges last September, along with a dozen other sites in the country which are deemed as “no longer a long-term defence requirement”.

She suggested the land could be used for country walks, camping, cycling trails and conservation projects.

She said: “It’s ridiculous and if we don’t make a stand, the whole of Colchester will be a concrete jungle.

“A lot of people are having problems objecting through the council’s website, so we want to get an extension to the consultation period.

“We don’t feel the objections are representative of the feeling.

“The overwhelming majority don’t want housing there.”

Julie has been in touch with organisations like Essex Wildlife Trust and was today due to have a meeting on site with Colchester MP Will Quince.

The council has a policy looking into how to best deal with infrastructure as part of the draft plan.

To see the petition visit you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-middlewick-range-make-it-a-country-park.

It can also be signed at the same site.

The deadline for making comments on Colchester Council’’s Local Plan was on Friday.

The draft will then be sent off to the planning inspectorate for consideration and to assess if the proposals are acceptable.