Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has lodged an application with Maldon District Council to build an extra 15 homes at a Burnham-on-Crouch site where the firm already has the go-ahead to build 90.

The new planning application for land North of Marsh Road is for a parcel of land to the eastern area of the wider site. The permission for 90 homes was granted on 21 December last year.

In the covering letter sent with the application, the applicant's agent points to the parcel of land and a neighbouring piece of land being identified for at least 90 dwellings in the district's Local Development Plan (LDP).

The letter continues: "The proposals were originally for a larger number of residential dwellings across both the site and the neighbouring parcel, however, the neighbouring parcel was omitted due to heritage concerns.

"Taylor Wimpey has since identified an opportunity to increase the number of one and two bedroom units at the site which directly responds to an identified local need and demand.

"In doing this the total number of new homes proposed has increased, however, all of the homes accord with the relevant policy standards and requirements with no signs of overdevelopment."

Under a separate planning application, MDC's District Planning Committee will decide next Wednesday (9 June) on whether to approve the developer's request to remove a 'Section 106' condition attached to the permission granted for 90 homes in December.

The application asks for "removal of condition 36 (affordable housing to NDSS (Nationally Described Space Standards)". These space standards, set out by the Government, specify the maximum number of occupants a home is suitable for based on its size/floor space.

The application of space standards in the conditions mean that the developer is obliged to provide affordable homes which - in the case of this site - would meet the standards to allow the following:

-6 x 1 bedroom 2 person flats

-5 x 1 bedroom 2 person bungalows

-18 x 2 bedroom 4 person houses

-7 x 3 bedroom 5 person houses.

Removing this condition would mean the developer would not be obliged to provide homes of this size as defined by the NDSS.

Council officers have recommended refusal of this application on the grounds that what would then be provided might not meet the district's identified need for affordable housing.

No committee date has yet been set for the application to build 15 extra homes.