Plans for 11 homes at Heybridge have been given the thumbs-down by district councillors.

The plans had been opposed by residents who collected a 185-signature petition.

Piecemeal development and high density were among the concerns of members of the environment and economic development select committee which voted against officers' recommendations to approve subject to conditions.

The central area planning committee had also been against the application by M Plummer for the development in Crescent Road.

Cllr Bryan Harker said at last Thursday's select committee meeting: "It is certainly piecemeal development and I agree with central committee that it should be refused.

"You are going to have 11 houses in the outline but, moving the boundary to the right, you can easily squeeze in another half a dozen."

Cllr Alison Lamb said: "I support central committee's recommendation. It is too high density for that particular area."

And Cllr Lawrence Cooper said: "This is an outline application and my concern is we are told 11 dwellings, which is rather vague. It seems to me that perhaps when details come back that density could be even greater."

However, Cllr Brian Mead said: "I don't see anything wrong with development of this nature.

"If you look to the site to the right and look at the density there, I find great difficulty to refuse the officers' recommendation."

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