PLANS to build more than 40 flats in Hadleigh could be thrown out ahead of a crucial planning meeting.

Castle Point Council planning officers have objected to plans to build the flats in two separate projects.

The first set of plans are for 17 flats to be built on the corner of Thundersley Park Road and Clarence Road.

The second could see 24 flats built in London Road, Benfleet.

It comes just weeks after the Echo reported plans to build 15 flats in Beech Road, Hadleigh, taking the number proposed for the town to more than 55.

Ahead of a planning meeting on Tuesday, Kim Fisher, a council planning officer, has recommended both sets of plans be refused permission by the authority’s planning committee.

Concerns had been raised over the Thundersley Park Road flats.

The plans have come in for criticism by concerned residents who believe development could harm wildlife and cause major disruption while work is carried out.

One Clarence Road resident, who lodged an official objection, described it as the “thin end of the wedge”, believing land behind the proposed flats could also be targeted.

He said: “While I am not directly affected as I live a bit further up Clarence Road, this may well be the ‘thin end of the wedge’.

“There is a substantial piece of land at the back of this development which I am sure the developer has future plans for and this would most definitely affect me and my property.

“There is no way that this development fits into the local environment and apart from the effects on the human population there is a wealth of wildlife in this area.

Assessing the London Road flats, Ms Fisher said: “Residential development of the site has been identified as inappropriate development in the green belt, which would normally attract a recommendation of refusal.

“In this instance, there are no very special circumstances, sufficient to outweigh the harm to the green belt being identified.

“The development proposed would result in an over dominant, cramped and obtrusive feature in the street scene, lacking adequate amenity space and parking facilities and providing poor living conditions for future residents.

“The proposal is too focused on achieving the greatest number of dwellings on the site and good design and layout has been sacrificed to achieve it.”

A final decision on both sets of plans will be made by the council’s planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday at the authority’s Kiln Road offices.