MORE than 800 people have signed up to a petition calling for a rethink on plans to build thousands of homes in Mile End, Colchester.

The Love Myland group, set up by Nayland Road residents David and Catherine Clouston, now has the support of 830 residents – little more than three weeks after it started. The group wants Colchester Council to look again at plans for 2,200 homes and community facilities on 247 acres of open fields off Nayland Road.

Earlier this year the council spent five weeks seeking public views on its North Colchester Growth Area planning document, which included plans for the site.

Campaigners want the document scrapped and replaced with an “area action plan”, under which an independent inspector would look at development proposals.

Mr Clouston said his group planned to meet legal experts to examine ways in which the number of houses to be built might be limited.

He added: “It’s really going well. We’ve yet to speak to somebody who has not wanted to sign the petition.

“Our short-term goal is to get the supplementary planning document withdrawn in the next few weeks and replaced with an area action plan.”

About 2,200 homes are proposed by 2021, on the fields west of Mile End Road and Nayland Road.

This would be in addition to 1,500 homes due to be built on the Severalls Hospital site and other developments already under way at Turner Village and Braiswick Park.