THREE councils are set to hire a project manager to oversee “garden village”

developments in Colchester, Tendring and Braintree.

The £38,000-a-year post, for up to two years, will help to choose sites to build thousands of homes.

Developers have earmarked land for 4,000 homes near Langham, 6,000 near Colchester’s Salary Brook and 14,500 on the A120 between Marks Tey and Braintree.

Anne Turrell, councillor responsible for economic development at Colchester Council, said: “I am really excited about this. This is the way we should have been building houses in Colchester.”

Colchester Council will be the main employer, but Tendring and Braintree councils will contribute to the post.

The job description says the officer will provide advice and project manage proposals for garden village-style developments.

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “This post is all about joining together the pieces of a big jigsaw to ensure the bigger picture is deliverable and workable across the joint area. The post is not just a luxury, but a wise investment to ensure all our emerging plans knit together seamlessly.

“The Government, or planning inspector, will have a significant say in agreeing the principle via a Local Plan, but neither will actually plan such a development.

“Before the impacts of such a settlement can be properly assessed, including infrastructure needed, one first has to plan it and work up what it could look like and what benefits and disadvantages might arise and how can impacts be mitigated. That is where planning comes in.”

Colchester Council says the next question for the borough is how to direct new development.

It says the success of building on brownfield sites, previously developed land, means it has to look at other options.

The new garden village project manager can see the community association's vision, and all other citizens can support it by signing the ePetition on http://colchester.cmis.uk.com/c olchester/ePetitions.aspx