A former factory site is to be turned into up to 30 houses and flats, subject to council approval.

The Harrison Works, formerly home to Hunwick’s Engineering, has been flattened to make room for the proposed houses, in Kings Road, Halstead.

Owner James Wicks is hopeful a planning application could be submitted in the next few months.

He said: “I’m working on it at the moment.

“I am hoping for a mixture of flats and houses on the land.

“It is difficult to say how many at the moment, but I expect between 25 to 30 altogether and some of those will have to be social housing.

“It has made a difference the factory coming down - you can now see houses that haven’t been seen for years.

“It’s not a bad site as it is close enough to the town centre and the doctor’s surgery so elderly people can shuffle down there, or use their mobility scooters.

“The planning application will be submitted in several months - I don’t want to rush it as this is a very important site and I want to get it right for the town.”

Mr Wicks, who has owned A R Clarke Builders, in Kings Road, Halstead, since 1961, bought the factory site in October.

Braintree Council told him in December he did not need to apply for permission to knock the factory down.

A recent report by Braintree Council identified the land as suitable for a mix of housing and businesses.

Concerns have been raised by residents about the speed of which new housing developments are springing up in Halstead, and also that the factory site is in the flood plain.

However, Mr Wicks has said previously that flood defences at Box Mill will protect the land from flooding.

Hunwick’s Engineering, trading as Transporter, has moved to the old airfield in Gosfield.