Tendring’s major housing plan determining where almost 9,000 homes should be built over the next 11 years has been passed – paving the way for thousands of new homes to be built on green belt land.

Tendring District Council’s local plan – principally how and where to cater for the 8,907 homes the borough needs to find up between 2013 and 2033 – includes 3,500 homes in the Colchester Borders Garden Community.

But it also includes other major allocation elsewhere in the borough including 1,700 homes in Hartley Gardens in Clacton, 900 homes at Oakwood Park, in Clacton and 950 at Rouses Farm in Clacton., as well as new primary schools.

The local plan also allocates 280 homes on land south of the council offices in Weeley and 300 on land west of Low Road in Dovercourt.

Council leader Neil Stock said: “This is not a magic wand and it doesn’t mean that we won’t as ward members have to turn up to a planning committee at some time in the future to argue against a planning application that we find completely unacceptable.”

“It doesn’t mean that wont happen but it does mean that we will be strengthening our objection with a robust local plan.”

However there is still concern over the of the A120-A133 link road project between Tendring and Colchester deemed crucial for the deliverability of the garden community after costs spiralled by more than £20m.

Essex County Council has not only asked the Government for an additional £21m to be released to pay for the increased costs but for the deadline for completion to be extended to August 2025 – the contract with the Government had stipulated the road had to be completed by 2024.

Councillor Ivan Henderson (Lab, Harwich) said: "It does look very concerning when reading the report which says if it can’t raise funds and if Homes England wont come up with any further funds and there are funding pressures also attached it could have sersious effects.”

Councillor Nick Turner, Chairman of Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee, said: I have been informed from the highest level that there are ongoing negotiations and they are fairly close to a compromise if not the total amount being that has to found."