A bid for 234 homes as part of a 'garden suburb' in Maldon have been given the final sign-off, despite concerns it 'looks more like a city'.

Maldon District Council's planning committee met on Tuesday (July 11) to review the reserved matters application for the residential units within a new development in Great Totham.

Despite the plans having already been recommended for approval by a government inspector, some councillors raised concerns over the lack of trees and green spaces presented in the Director of Service Delivery's report of the parcel.

Councillor Sue White (Con, Purleigh) said: "This is meant to be a garden suburb… Where's the green? This looks like it could be in any city in the country."

Cllr White also noted that there had been no mention of the developer's re-planting policy which had been discussed in previous committee meetings, in which it was detailed that trees would be re-planted if they had not flourished within five years of construction being completed.

She said that no trees would survive in high summer temperatures if a proper irrigation system was not written into the plan's conditions.

Carl Glossop from Countryside Properties, acting as agent for the applicant, said that the houses shown in the parcel plans are "set to deliver a significant proportion of the council's supply of new homes", with the whole development forming "a key part of the council's local plan".

Further worries about whether the proposed housing would be adequate for larger families were brought to the committee's attention, as well as a degree of anxiety over the projected opening dates for the development's proposed primary school and pre-school facilities being set for 2032-2033.

Councillor Wendy Stamp (Ind., Burnham-on-Crouch North) said this would lead to "a huge deficiency of of school places" for children living on the development.

However, committe chairman Councillor Kevin Lagan (Ind., Maldon South) said that the design of the housing parcel is "no different to any of those (the committee) has approved previously".

Story by Emma Doyle - Local Democracy Reporter.

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