AN application to finalise a bid for more than 70 homes has been given the final seal of approval, despite objections from Halstead Town Council.

Braintree Council’s planning committee met last week to vote on a bid to bring 71 homes to land off Mount Hill.

The bid was a reserved matters application seeking to finalise plans for the appearance and landscaping of the site.

It comes after the original proposal, which was submitted in 2018 and rejected, was approved on appeal in July 2019.

That had seen strong objections from Halstead Town Council, which also unanimously opposed the latest plan.

Town councillors had concerns over the bid’s potential impact on flooding in the area off the A131.

As a result, the town council led calls for a second independent flooding survey to be carried out.

Councillor Jackie Pell spoke on behalf of Halstead Town Council prior to the vote.

She said: “You will be aware that Halstead Town Council objected in the strongest possible terms and unanimously to the outline planning application which was subsequently approved on appeal.

“In considering this application reserved matters, appearance and landscaping, the town council’s unanimous view remains unchanged.

“We consider that the sustainable drainage system scheme is inadequate to deal with exisiting run-off without the inevitable increase created by the buildings and associated hard surfaces.

“It would appear inevitable that floodwater run-off will cause both damage and concern to the owners of property on both Greenbanks and Monklands Court.

“We would request that a further independent survey is obtained and a report obtained regarding the potential danger of flooding as this is an area of significant concern to residents.

“The town council remains concerned that the planning meeting between the developers and residents was cancelled by developers.

“There are also concerns regarding loss of privacy to some of the adjacent properties due to inadequate screening, both to the site and as a whole between planned properties.

“This remains a site about which Halstead Town Council has real and significant concerns.”

Mrs Pell added: “I implore you to seek a second opinion on the flooding issue before it is too late and my residents are flooded out.

“At least we can say we tried and you listened.”

Braintree Council planners voted to give the bid the green light despite the town council’s concerns.

AN application to finalise a bid for 71 homes has been given the final seal of approval by councillors, despite objections from the area's town council.

Braintree Council planning bosses met last week to vote on a bid to bring the homes to land off Mount Hill, Halstead.

The bid was a reserved matters application seeking finalise plans for the appearance and landscaping of the site.

It comes after the original bid, which was launched back in 2018 and rejected, was then granted on appeal in July 2019.

The original bid was strongly objected to by Halstead Town Council who also unanimously opposed the recent plans.

Town councillors had concerns over the bid's potential impact on flooding in the area off the A131.

As a result, the town council led calls for a second independent flooding survey to be carried out.

Councillor Jackie Pell spoke on behalf of Halstead Town Council prior to the vote.

She said:

"In considering this application reserved matters, appearance and landscaping, the town council's unanimous view remains unchanged.

"We consider that the SUDS scheme is inadequate to deal with exisiting run off without the inevitable increase created by the buildings and associated hard surfaces.

"It would appear inevitable that flood water run off will cause both damage and concern to the owners of property on both Greenbanks and Monklands Court.

"We would request that as further independent survey is obtained and a report obtained regarding the potential danger of flooding as local knowledge that this is an area of significant concern to residetns.

"This is not helped by the fact that houses are planned to be built over a sewer and that the planned pond would appear to be on the wrong side of the development.

"This remains a site about which Halstead Town Council has real and significant concerns."

Concerns over a cancelled meeting between developers and residents as well as as loss of privacy we also raised.

Speaking personally, as the area's ward councillor, Mrs Pell added: "I implore you to seek a second opinion on the flooding issue before it is too late and my residents are flooded out.

"At least we can say we tried and you listened."

However, despite their concerns, Braintree planners voted to give the bid the green light.

Developers now have full permission to begin building the 71 homes on the site.