PLANS to build ten flats on the site of an old mill have been refused.

The application proposed the demolition of the warehouse building at Cullen Mill in Braintree Road, Witham, to make way for ten flats.

The warehouse is currently used for commercial purposes and lies within a former industrial estate.

The application was unanimously refused at a meeting of Braintree Council’s planning committee.

Speaking at the meeting, Green Party councillor James Abbott said the design would be “imposing” and “hard” on the area.

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Mr Abbott said: “I am not opposed to the redevelopment of the site. This is a brownfield site and if another better proposal comes in that could be looked at afresh – it is really important to get it right.

“Unfortunately, this application has far too many problems to be supported on this occasion

“The design would be very imposing on the street, a towering building really, because it is not only four-storey but it is elevated.

“Critically for me the living conditions for future residents – the B1018 Braintree Road is dominated for much of the day by noise and fumes from traffic.”

Mr Abbott went on to recommend the council look at the area in more detail for both current and future residents.

He said: “I also think we need to be thinking about how we make that whole area more pleasant for not only future residents but for existing ones as well.

“There is very low tree cover, it’s quite hard in terms of its appearance and this proposal wouldn’t help in this direction, it would be very hard.”