SCORES of people queued up to get information on plans for new retirement homes on part of an animal centre site.

Developers McCarthy and Stone held the public consultation at Mistley Park Place tearooms on Tuesday to hear residents’ views on their plans to transform almost 10 per cent of the site into housing.

Queues of prospective buyers packed into the consultation as well as interested villagers.

Former Mistley Parish Council chairman Martin Rayner, of New Road, Mistley, said: “It’s a good opportunity for the majority of the land to come into public use.

“The overall visual impact on the development area seems to be small.

“I think it will become an amazing prospect for the community and a valuable asset.”

Edgar Potter, of Midway, Lawford, added: “If the community dismisses this opportunity to open up this area for community use, it would be a disaster.

“I’m not opposing the plans at all and if they need to take almost 10 per cent of the area to make some money and leave the rest 90 per cent for the community, it would be wonderful.”

Former Manningtree mayor Lee Lay-Flurrie also welcomed the plans.

She added: “I hope it’s going to be a more positive plan and a much smaller development.

“We hope they’ll keep to what they say regarding how many they will build.”

The developers are in the early stages of drawing up the plans but if permission is granted, the land will be used to build 40 retirement apartments and 11 bungalows and the remainder would be gifted to Mistley Parish Council and the community.

A spokesman for McCarthy and Stone said he believes the proposals offer a fresh start and a bright future for Mistley Place Park.

He said: “We were encouraged by the positive response we received to our early thoughts.

“Nothing is set in stone and we will carefully review all the feedback received.”

He added: “Many of those we spoke to at our exhibition indicated they thought that this would be a sympathetic development, and gave us some useful comments on both our residential proposals and early thoughts on what could be done to breathe new life into Mistley Place Park.”