Thousands of jobs will be created if plans for an employment site in Great Notley are approved.

Braintree Council hopes to provide 2,000 jobs for the district with the purchase of a site next to Great Notley Country Park, opposite Tesco.

Plans put in place by a previous developer also include a hotel, however Braintree Council has not made a decision on this.

A screening request to see if the applicant requires an environmental impact assessment has now been submitted.

A Braintree Council spokesman said: “The potential for this employment site is huge.

“It will be in a fantastic location with easy access to Stansted, Chelmsford, London and beyond.

“Our ambition is that the site will be home to many high quality businesses creating 2,000 local jobs and we’re already having interest from some really big names and innovative companies.

“By attracting businesses from outside the district as well as businesses already here and looking to expand, this project feeds into our ambition for the local economy which will mean our residents have better access to good jobs close to home.”

In February, Braintree Council’s cabinet and full council approved decisions which would enable the council to purchase the site.

A detailed business plan will go back to cabinet members for further discussions in the next few months.

The application, submitted by agent Strutt and Parker, said: “The proposal is considered unlikely to result in any significant impacts on the environment and consequently, it is our view that an EIA is not required.

“The planning application will be submitted with a comprehensive set of supporting documents that will provide information on all aspects of the planning application.”

Specific plans include the building of a business park up to 65,000 sq m in size.

Units would cater for light industrial, business and general industrial use, as well as storage, distribution and a hotel.

They also include plans for landscaping, allotments and a new access from the A131, west of the country park.

Braintree Council, which would buy the site if a planning application is approved, believes the site would also give a good rate of return and money would be ploughed back into the community.

To view the application v isit publicaccess.braintree.gov.uk.