WORK will start early next year on the largest housing estate to be built in Colchester in 50 years.

Developer Lands Improvement has been given permission to build up to 201 homes on the former Betts factory site, in Ipswich Road.

Before a specific planning application, detailing the exact number of homes to be built, is submitted for the 53-acre site, which lies partly in Colchester and Tendring, the London-based developer will have to sell the site to a selected house builder.

“When that happens, I would expect a planning application to into the council early next year and construction starting soon after that,” said Kevin Moriarty, Managing Director of Lands Improvement.

Demolition is set to get underway before the summer. 

Mr Moriarty added: “Demolition will get underway before this summer, so quite soon.

“After that, we will have to make sure the infrastructure upgrades are in place so traffic can access the site and you would probably be looking at late 2014 when the first person moves into their new home.”

Lands Improvement bought the land in August 2011, when Betts decided to move to a bigger premises in Severalls Industrial Estate.