HUNDREDS of campaigners have rallied to object to an almost 100 home development in Tollesbury.

The proposal to build 90 new homes in Mell Road has been slammed by the group, Housing Action By Residents of Tollesbury, who are hoping to see 1,000 people object to the application.

The development would cover around five football pitches of undeveloped land, with 36 of the 90 homes being made affordable.

Its planning statement, said: "The application site represents a suitable and sustainable location for housing.

"It is well located to the existing urban area and the proposed residential development represents a natural and logical extension to Tollesbury.

"The site is available now, suitable for residential development and deliverable.

"There is a clear need in Maldon to release additional land for residential development in sustainable and accessible locations.

"The application site is logical and can make a valuable contribution to boosting housing supply in the Maldon District."

Out of the 459 public comments received by Maldon District Council, 454 have been objections (at the time the paper went to print).

A letter to the developers, Gladman Developments Ltd from a resident in Heron Mews said its plan 'clouded their vision' "with regard to the quality of life for folk you have never met who live in villages you have probably never seen."

They continued: "There are many areas of concern about and objections to your proposed planning application, but the point that worries most of us is the safety and wellbeing of our children, and ourselves if the village roads are expected to carry a great deal more traffic in an already overloaded situation."

Within the development, the developer has set out a range of plans to "calm" traffic within the new community including; change of road surfaces using paving setts, the narrowing of the carriageway and the street to create "pinch points" and by creating surfaces that are appropriate for both vehicles and pedestrians.

A spokesman added: "Calming traffic within the development will be an important part of delivering streets for people, and priorities for pedestrians.

"The principle is that vehicle speed will by calmed by design and that detailed layouts will incorporate common best practice approaches."

Great Totham resident, Jenny Firman branded the development "simply ridiculous" in her objection comment, questioning if there was enough infrastructure present in the area to allow for more homes to be built.

She said: "Maldon Road is already busy and dangerous with a high volume of traffic, and people are regularly speeding through the village - how are an extra potentially 150-plus cars going to help improve road safety for our children?

"The school is already two-form entry and at full capacity - where do the developers propose all the children from these new homes are educated?

"The area they intend to develop is also at least a third the size of the existing village."