PLANS to build thousands of eco homes in communities along the A120 to the north of Colchester have been branded an April Fool’s joke by a local MP.

Bernard Jenkin, Tory MP for North Essex, has vowed to fight any moves to build 8,000 eco homes in his constituency.

The Government announced on Thursday, £200,000 had been set aside to take the plans further.

Mr Jenkin said: “When I first saw the Government’s statement, dated April 1, I thought it must be an April Fool. There is nil support for this.

“Neither Essex County Council nor Tendring District is backing an ‘eco-town’ and I will fight this every inch of the way.

“The minister is ignoring local opinion. He is also ignoring the decision of the Government’s own inspector, who ruled against a new town settlement on the A120 at the public inquiry into the Tendring Plan just three years ago.”

Mr Jenkin said extra jobs were needed in the area, not more homes.

He added: “I have told the Haven Gateway Partnership this requires land for commercial development, not more dormitory housing. It should be promoting the Essex coast for tourism and regeneration, not just for more housing.”

Tendring councillor responsible for planning, Sarah Candy said the proposal had “set alarm bells ringing in Tendring”, warning it would spell disaster for the regeneration of the district’s coastal towns.

She said: “This whole announcement and the way it has come about is of great concern to Tendring.

“There is absolutely no need whatsoever for a new eco town in our district and we have the evidence to back that up.

“All our energies, effort and focus for development are being concentrated on our priority areas for regeneration – Clacton, Walton and Harwich.

“To take our focus off that could spell disaster for them.”

Mrs Candy said the could planned further talks with the Haven Gateway Partnership over the proposal.