A “green gap” separating two villages and a town in Essex has been saved after planning permission for more than 60 new homes was refused.

East Anglian Daily Times: The green gap between Mistley, Manningtree and Lawford has been saved from development after Tendring District Council refused planning permission for new homes off Trinity Road. Picture: GOOGLE EARTHThe green gap between Mistley, Manningtree and Lawford has been saved from development after Tendring District Council refused planning permission for new homes off Trinity Road. Picture: GOOGLE EARTH (Image: Archant)

The application by Brooks Leney to build 65 dwellings on the land off Trinity Road in Mistley was originally lodged in 2011.

But the plans sparked 173 objections from residents opposed to the scheme eager to prevent the coalescence of Manningtree, Mistley and Lawford, which border each other.

The green gap is a 0.595 hectare site to the rear of Manningtree town, which separates the three settlements.

Outline planning permission for the development was refused on Friday, August 7, due to a lack of housing demand and strict conservation restrictions laid out in the Tendring District Local Plan.

Jamie Cambridge, chairman of Mistley Parish Council’s planning ommittee, said: “We, as a parish council, were quite happy to see the homes refused as we don’t want the green gap to be filled in, as neither do Manningtree Town Council or Lawford Parish Council.

“Mistley has been overdeveloped and certainly will be further overdeveloped with all of the extant permissions in place at the moment which haven’t been able to build so far because of Covid.

“A line needs to be drawn in the sand at one point saying, Mistley has had its fair share.

“The trouble is there’s a good chance the decision will be appealed because Tendring District Council hasn’t yet signed off its housing supply and inspectorate know that.”

Dawn Bee Brecon, from Trinity Road, recently objected to the application and said: “The green space is a conservation area, does that count for nothing?

“During this recent pandemic people have talked about nature and wildlife and the open spaces that had given them comfort and mental wellbeing and yet how do we repay this?

“By signing the paperwork and concreting over those green open spaces and the homes and habitats of the creatures that live and rely on it.

“Trinity Road and the surrounding area cannot accommodate and sustain such another large site, the road is not suitable for the added pressure of traffic and local people do not want more houses on their doorstep.”

Developers Brooks Leney declined to comment.

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