DEVELOPERS are taking advantage of council planning failings, it is claimed.

Angry residents are frustrated at the lack of an effective neighbourhood plan which could help stop developers winning so many planning appeals or having so many applications accepted.

When plans to build 205 homes off Sudbury Road, Halstead, were approved by Braintree Council’s planning committee last week, residents were repeatedly told the committee’s hands were tied by a failure to demonstrate serious adverse affect and the lack of a local plan to prove enough houses were planned elsewhere to meet Government requirements.

This only increased anger as it was the same councillors claiming they couldn’t stop it who are the ones responsible for progressing the local plan.

In recent months developments in Sudbury Road, Oak Road, and Colchester Road have been given the go-ahead, despite objections from Halstead Town Council.

So rather than relying on Braintree Council it has been suggested Halstead Town Council could come up with a useful plan.

Resident Helen Wolf said: “Last week all we heard was a lack of demonstrable evidence, a neighbourhood plan would add to that objective evidence.

“Neighbourhood plans are being used across the county to objectively show the needs of the area.

“If 1,300 resident objections did not count as demonstrable evidence, you would hope an official document might.

Town Mayor Shirley Diver, said: “It is something we have looked into, and it is something I think would benefit us.

“We need to make sure the final plan that Braintree Council put together is something we agree with. We have had many meetings with Braintree Council’s planners, and we have put forward our suggestions as to where is suitable, but we are still seeing the sites put forward as potential developments.

“It is hugely frustrating as a council.”