A NEW project manager has been appointed to consider the layout of Garden Communities.

A workshop was held by AECOM, a provider of project management services.

It was to help create a framework for the west of Braintree development, looking at the size and form it could take, but campaigners were not convinced.

A letter advertising the workshop, held on November 23, said: "The aim of the workshop is to give you information about the land and what will influence development here, and then allow your imaginations to flow to create initial master plan solutions for the development of the site."

AECOM then plans to hold a second session early next year to update the group.

Campaign groups, parish councils and representatives from all four councils attended.

Nick Buhaenko-Smith from SERCLE, Stop the Erosion of Rural Communities in Local Essex, was at the meeting.

He said the issues raised included a lack of information on the site boundary, and a lack of interest relating to the impact of current residents.

He said: “What came across from SERCLE’s conversations with other attendees is there now exists a complete lack of trust with the district councils. "The session ended with a polite 'thank you', however I suspect that all trust and local support from the parish councils, residents and campaign groups has been lost.

"It was quite ambiguous, they didn't really have any answers.”

The meeting was held at the Town Hall and more meetings will be held over the next few months with stakeholders.

Everyone who lives and works in the area will also have an opportunity to give feedback on the framework.

The council needs to deliver 862 homes each year between now and 2033 in order to comply with national guidelines and meet local demand.

Councillor Lady Patricia Newton said: “Together with other councils we have been looking at the best ways to do this to make sure the growth is holistically planned with infrastructure as well as homes.

“Representatives of the local community were recently invited to a workshop to talk about the areas they cherish and would like to protect if a garden community were to go ahead.

“We received some valuable feedback, including opportunities and constraints of the existing landscape.

"Some attendees also took the opportunity to note their opposition to the principle of building more homes in the area.”