A masterplan package which would see a new supermarket and housing estate built in Tiptree would "tear the heart out of the village", it has been claimed.

Outraged Tiptree residents protesting against plans for 70 houses and a supermarket near the village centre descended on Colchester Town Hall on Thursday night to voice their anger.

The former Tiptree Book Services site on Church Road has been earmarked by London and Amsterdam Developments, on behalf of Tesco, for a 2578 square metre Tesco store, an adjoining 233-space car park, a new residential area, a community centre and a new employment area.

But villagers claim the proposals would lead to traffic chaos, wipe out local businesses and put a massive strain on Tiptree's resources because the new houses would be adding to 400 new homes already in the pipeline.

Last night, the Tiptree masterplan came before Colchester Council's development control sub-committee for consideration, which decided to visit the site for before making a decision.

Tiptree ward councillor Alan Mogridge said: "The heart of Tiptree is going to be torn out of the village by this development.

"It is a case of profit at the expense of the people in Tiptree. We don't need more housing, we have just got 400 more."

He said the extra traffic along Church Road would cause traffic problems, adding: "Even now, when one car parks on Church Road, the whole street gridlocks."

David Felstead, chairman of Tiptree Development Forum, said: "Local businesses are concerned that it will create a problem with their retail outlets and they are also worried about how customers would get to their shops because of traffic chaos."

He said the plans raised serious safety questions as the nearby fire station might become blocked off in heavy traffic and congestion would cause danger to children using the zebra crossing to get to St Lukes School.

Ben Rainford, director of London and Amsterdam, said there was demand for a new supermarket and the development would bring new jobs to Tiptree.

He said: "Everyone accepts the need to re-use this site, but the final plan needs to be one that is deliverable. This would bring community benefits to the heart of the village, there would be 200 jobs for a range of skills, a quality urban design and quality art features.

"What we are trying to achieve is to follow Government guidance and use brownfield land for a mixture of uses."

The plans will be reconsidered by Colchester Council's development control sub-committee on January 6.

Colchester Town Hall last night.

Picture: SEANA HUGHES

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.