PLANNERS have taken proposals to build new homes next to a busy road back to the drawing board after fears were raised it could become “hellish” for residents.
Colchester-based Vaughan & Blyth Homes wants to build nine homes on land off Gosbecks View, Colchester, which sits between busy stretches of Gosbecks Road and Cunobelin Way.
Planning officers from Colchester Council had recommended the application to build the houses and bungalows on the land, which is earmarked for new homes in the authority’s local plan, be approved.
However, a rethink will be needed after the council’s planning committee raised concerns about access to the development at a meeting on Thursday.
The plans in their current form would see access to the site maintained in Gosbecks View, an 11-foot wide lane which is currently used as a public walkway, with provisions included for a turning head and two passing places.
Despite concerns, planning officer John Miles told the panel that highways safety and access had been “carefully considered”.
Shrub End councillor Sam McCarthy brought the application before the panel because he’d “never received such an overwhelming concern from an application within hours of it going live on the council’s website”.
“The concern isn’t particularly about the proposed nine dwellings – that isn’t overly my concern either – it is the access,” he explained.
“These residents [who already have access to their homes via Gosbecks View] know first-hand how difficult it is in this little lane when it comes to passing pedestrians, waste collections, and vehicles meeting.
“Don’t forget this will be a building site and God only knows how construction vehicles plan on moving freely. It will be hellish.”
The councillor, who is “happy for [new homes] to be in Shrub End”, added: “If there’s no room to manoeuvre – quite literally – this mustn’t go ahead.”
Asked why access couldn’t be arranged in nearby Cunobelin Way, Matthew Tiller of Essex Highways responded: “The function of Cunobelin Way would be as a significant traffic carrier and access from those roads is not permitted, so any access would be from a lower category of road which, in this case, is Gosbecks View.”
Planner Mollie Foley said the developer had completed a pre-application with Essex Highways, adding that Essex Fire Service had not raised any objections regarding access for the emergency services.
Councillors voted unanimously to defer the application while alternatives are explored.
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