Residents are said to be in favour of 40 homes being built in a small village.

Marfleet Developments Ltd submitted an application to build the homes on a previously developed brownfield site on land west of Hedingham Road, Gosfield.

The plans for the 1.77 hectare site, formerly the Colne Skips and oil depot, include 40 per cent affordable housing, with 16 homes allocated for the social market.

Residents who attended a public meeting on July 13 in Maurice Rowson Hall are said to be in favour of the plans.

The application said: “The overwhelming majority of responses were in support of the proposal.

“More importantly, the scheme has been designed with specific regard to the needs and point of view of the parishioners who wanted to voice an opinion.

“The scheme includes not only ‘affordable housing’ as required by BDC policy, but also small to medium homes for open market purchase.

“The site does not produce traffic issues or disrupt the existing village population like other proposals for development elsewhere in Gosfield.”

The proposed access to the site uses the existing Hedingham Road and allows for 50 parking spaces.

The scheme includes four two-bedroom houses, nine three-bedroom houses, nine with four or more bedrooms and two with an unknown number.

The social market includes two one-bedroom flats, ten two-bedroom houses and four three-bedroom houses.

The application added: “The design of the proposed dwellings take inspiration from the traditional architecture seen in and around the village of Gosfield.

“The principle aim would be to blend the development in to the character of the village.”

Chairman of Gosfield Parish Council, Bob Waters, said: “We have not yet discussed the plans, so I can’t say at this time how councillors will vote.

“I know when Gosfield put forward ten preferred sites to Braintree Council for development, this was not one of the favourite ones.”