Braintree, Colchester, Tendring and Essex councils are planning to build three new towns, which including the development at Monkswood, will create some 50,000 new houses.

A “fantastic opportunity” is promised.

But many fear we will pave over this beautiful landscape with commuter towns and boring houses, with a real risk that good jobs and infrastructure may not fully arise.

What the “garden communities” will do is effectively join Colchester to Braintree because West Tey will effectively join up to Surrex and thus Coggeshall.

With Monkswood to the west, Stisted and Bradwell will almost merge into the east side of Braintree.

Whatever you think of these plans, why is Braintree Council refusing to give full answers to questions such as: why refuse a meeting between councillors from all three councils?

Colchester Council appears more willing to ask questions on this mega scheme.

Why are three meetings being rushed through in Braintree between July 11 and August 1 at the height of summer holidays?

Why will they not publish all these long and dense reports together and more than one week ahead?

I accept there is a case for new housing and indeed even for this plan but surely it should be properly scrutinised and not rushed through.

Tom Walsh

Independent district councillor for Coggeshall, Bradwell and Stisted