UP to 100 extra homes are set to be built on the site of an 135-home estate now developers have won an appeal.

An outline planning application to build up to 100 additional homes on the land south of Harwich Road, in Mistley, was sent to Tendring Council back in November 2018.

The application was seeking approval for a second phase of Hopkins Homes’ development.

The first phase of the development is scheduled for completion by 2021 and the outline plans will form a second phase to complete the existing development and build the extra homes within five years.

However, after the council refused the plans for 100 extra homes in July 2019 the developer made an appeal and submitted a duplicate application to Tendring Council.

The appeal was granted by a planning inspector on March 10.

So, the developer has withdrawn the duplicate application on April 28.

Carlo Guglielmi, deputy leader of Tendring Council, said the developer submitted two identical applications, in case one was lost completely.

He said: “Developers do this in case the appeal is not won, so they would modify the items and reapply. We are not terribly happy at all.

“By 2032 there will be no land left for people to come forward for an application.

“Once the inspector granted the appeal, there was not much we could do about it. Judicial review is very costly and it wouldn’t necessarily mean the decision could be revoked. So, we are stuck with it.”

Simon Bryan, development director for Hopkins Homes, said: “We are pleased the planning inspectorate has upheld our appeal and agreed this is a good site for housing.

“We now intend to submit a reserved matters application for 100 homes on land south of Harwich Road, Mistley, following the granting of outline permission at this appeal.

“These homes would extend our existing River Reach development, which is proving popular with house buyers.

"It would also create 30 new affordable homes to help meet the local need, a matter acknowledged in the Planning Inspectorate’s report as being of ‘significant social benefit’.

"In addition, the development would deliver around £1million in contributions towards local infrastructure, including schools.”