CONTROVERSIAL plans for 80 new homes in Halstead have been given the thumbs down by town councillors.

Developer Bellway Homes is looking for full planning permission to build on land north of Oak Road in the town.

If given approval, just over a third would be allocated as affordable housing.

The land, which is privately-owned fields, was previously given the green light by Braintree Council for 70 homes in 2019 in an outline application by Famco Estates.

The plan has seen the number increase to 80 by Bellway Homes, with the western neighbouring site with Conies Farm also currently subject to an application for 39 homes.

But there are fears the surrounding road network will not be able to cope with the pressure of the new development.

The current application has seen seven objections, while the previous 70-homes bid received nearly 40.

Halstead Town Council is also objecting to the homes.

The council was unanimous in its objection with concerns over the suitability of roads, Oak Road being set to become a “quiet lane” and flooding.

County councillor Chris Siddall attended the town council’s meeting on Monday.

He said: “Halstead Town Council rightly voted unanimously against the Oak Road development.

“We have already had far too much development in far too short a period of time.

“There has been no let-up as developers rush to get in before Braintree District Council has its local plan in place.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just these 80 homes in Oak Road in isolation – it’s the cumulative effect this is going to have on top of all the other development we have seen in recent years.

“This is putting more and more pressure on an already very stretched doctors surgery and schools.

“My other concern is where is the traffic going to go? From the proposed Oak road site it can either go down Tidings Hill, or Oak Road which is a very narrow lane, or through White Horse Avenue, but at peak times it is likely to join the increased traffic.

“We are now seeing rat running through villages like Greenstead Green.

“This is being caused as the main roads become gridlocked at peak travel times and drivers look for a way to avoid Halstead town centre itself.

“Clearly the Oak Road development will only go to exacerbate this problem.

“I will be calling on Essex Highways to take a fresh look at all our main roads and junctions throughout Halstead as this is now well overdue.”

Braintree Council’s planning committee will rule on the application at a later date.