A PARISH council has vowed to oppose new plans to build more than 30 homes on a large field.

Phase 2 planning and development opened a public consultation on its website to develop land north of Meadways.

The developers are asking for residents’ responses on three proposals before submitting a planning application to Braintree Council.

The houses would take up 2.3 hectares, with the remainder of the 4.9 hectare site earmarked as open space.

Gosfield Parish Council will oppose the plans, saying they are too large.

Chairman Bob Waters said: “The parish council policy has always been for a small development in the centre of town.

“This is a large development not in the centre of town, so is immediately against parish council policy and therefore both myself and the full council do object.

“The proposed access is from Meadway Road, and not Hedingham Road, the problem with Hall Drive is that it has two schools, and wedding venue, and a golf club, making it one of the busiest streets in the village.

“This is also potentially a very large site. At the moment they are only talking about 35 homes, but the site could hold 60 and we are always suspicious of sites which could grow.”

Option one consists of 34 traditionally designed homes, consisting of two, three and four bedrooms.

This proposal would include 40 per cent affordable housing and more trees along Hedingham Road.

The developers have also outlined plans to create a cul-de-sac layout, the maintenance of existing footpaths and the creation of a public garden between the listed building on Hedingham Road and the proposed houses.

The second option is a slightly smaller proposal.

A total of 31 houses would be built, and the extra space would be used for a planted edge along the boundary with an open field.

The third option, provides a mixture between the first two proposals.

The site would consist of 33 homes.

The land has been split in half by the developer, with the side closest to Hedingham Road proposed for housing, and the other outlined as public open space.

The site is located outside the village boundary, with Gosfield labelled as an ‘other village’ in Braintree Council’s draft Local Plan.

See the plans at www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning-consultations-current-gosfield.html