A planning application has been put forward for seven new dwellings on the former Doctor's Farm site in Southminster.

The proposal, submitted to Maldon District Council (MDC), involves the construction of six two-bedroom two-storey houses and one two-bedroom single-storey property on the site on Kings Road.

The proposal was revised after MDC rejected the applicant's initial proposal to build 11 two-storey dwellings on the site in September.

The refused plans included eight three-bedroom semi-detached properties and three two-bedroom terraced houses.

In its statement on the decision, MDC said: "The Council is not satisfied that a suitable layout could be achieved for the development sought within the application site that would not appear cramped and contrived and that would provide adequate private amenity space and off-road parking to meet the Council's adopted standards.

"This is indicative of overdevelopment of the site and its unsuitability to accommodate the amount of development proposed."

MDC added: "The proposed development would fail to provide a housing mix that meets the District's need for smaller (one and two-bedroom) dwellings."

Commenting on the revised proposal, Place Services - a Chelmsford-based environmental consultancy firm - recommended a professional ecology undertake a visit to the site.

The Environment Agency, another consultee on the application, made no recommendation regarding the proposal.

It said: "It is considered that this area is unlikely to have any significant surviving archaeology."