PLANS have revealed more than 300 homes could be built at two locations in Colchester.

Bloor Homes has submitted pre application requests to Colchester Council which have shown plans for two huge new developments.

The first would see 180 homes built off of Maldon Road, Tiptree.

Previous plans by Bloor for 255 homes at the same site were thrown out at appeal amid outrage in the community.

The second will see as many as 165 homes built on land to the north of Coach Road, in Great Horkesley.

Bloor Homes first mooted plans for homes in Great Horkesley back in 2019 but it faced backlash from from residents who feared the village would be “swallowed up”.

Christopher Arnold, Great Horkesley parish council chairman, said: “I don’t think it’s going to surprise anybody that the proposal has come back again.

“The important thing, I believe, is that each site is considered for its merit—what it can bring to the village and what the impact would be."

Bloor Homes has submitted an environmental screening request.

It is an initial stage of the planning process, requiring the council to assess the potential environmental effects of the developments.

Mr Arnold, who has being part of council planning for almost 26 years, added: “It will be interesting to see what the city council says about them doing the environmental impact analysis because I understand that process quite well.”

He believes "a large group of people will strongly oppose this plan.”

The plans come as Colchester Council considers its local plan and has seen its housing targets grown from 920 homes a year to 1,200 homes a year.

"There is always the possibility that the city council tells Bloor Homes to hang on until we see which sites we actually want first," Mr Arnold said.

"This isn’t a random exercise—it’s an exercise for the city council to figure out how, in an orderly fashion, we get from 920 to 1,200 homes with benefits not just to the home builder but to Colchester and its people."

Paul Dundas, Tiptree ward councillor, said: "I do not support any major development or applications for developments in Tiptree which fall outside of the agreed local and neighbourhood plans which this one appears to do.

"There is a recognition that Tiptree must accept some housing and grow but this must be done in an organised, planned way which is endorsed by the residents and incorporates infrastructure on doctors, schools, transport and other facilities.

 "A planning application has already been rejected on appeal for this site and I will be expecting it to be rejected again for the same reasons.

"The neighbourhood plan was approved by 84 per cent of Tiptree residents voting just 16 months ago and it must be respected by the council planning department and developers."

Bloor Homes was contacted for comment.