HUNDREDS of residents are fighting against a controversial planning application for up to 200 homes in Tollesbury.
An outline planning application was submitted for the development along with site access, roads, a new community building, parking and a play area on land opposite Prentice Hall Farm, in Prentice Hall Lane.
The development will be accessible from a new access point on the B1023 West Street.
The application now has 326 comments from members of the public objecting to the plans.
Tollesbury residents set up the Housing Action by Residents of Tollesbury group to fight "inappropriate" building and over-development in the village.
The group has collected and delivered more than 650 objection letters to Maldon District Council.
The letters of objection submitted by many residents says: “Tollesbury already has two sites with planning granted for 42 dwellings.
“Two hundred new houses on a green field near a much-used footpath will change the character and people's enjoyment of the area.
“The local development plan seeks to 'reduce the need to travel, particularly by private vehicle'. The bus is roughly every 2 hours with no late-night service to or from a town, and no buses at all on Sundays, so 200 more houses would increase the use of cars.
“There are no shopping centres or supermarkets so there would be more delivery vehicles, increasing the road safety risks arising from large lorries passing by Tollesbury's narrow and non-existent pavements.
“The nearest railway station is nine miles away, so 200 new homes will not fulfil the LDP statement: 'The council will seek to ensure all new developments are well connected to local public transport routes.'
“There is not employment here for at least 200 people, and very little public transport, so car usage would increase.
“The development would have a significant impact on already stretched local schools."
There are also concerns about the impact on wildlife.
Objectors said: “Building houses here would destroy the habitat for red status birds, including fieldfare, woodcock and greenfinch, as well as small mammals and insects being affected.”
Maldon District Council will have the final say on the proposals.
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