A developer claims it will "breathe new life" into Braintree by providing 400 affordable homes and reducing congestion around the town.

Acorn Braintree is working on the plans for 1,600 homes at Brook Green, on either side of Flitch Way, Braintree.

The plans include a primary school, retail space and the developer has promised funding for a new dedicated slip road to Freeport from the A120, in a move it claims could cut average journey times around the town by ten minutes.

A spokesman for Acorn Braintree said: "We are proud to be in a position to deliver to Braintree and the surrounding area a scheme which will alleviate its critical housing crisis.

"It will also provide funds to ensure real and measurable relief to the road congestion which currently paralysing the town on a daily basis.

“The Brook Green development offers the opportunity for Braintree to live and breathe again as a town.

"It provides good quality, affordable homes for its community as well as widespread and desperately needed improvements to infrastructure."

A leaflet explaining some of the details of the proposals has been delivered to around 10,000 homes across Braintree.

The application is set to be decided in December when it comes before Braintree Council's planning committee.

The spokesman continued: "We believe it is in the interests of the whole town that the council sends out a clear and urgent signal of its intent to resolve the Braintree’s housing and infrastructure crisis by approving these plans.

“We have worked closely and diligently with all the relevant authorities for the last two years to ensure that our plans will deliver benefits which are in the best interests of the whole community.”

Acorn has started a petition in support of the Brook Green development, at www.brookgreen-online.co.uk.