DEVELOPERS have been given permission to build 230 homes after Braintree Council was unable to demonstrate it has allocated enough land to cater for more than five years' worth of housing.

The plans, on land north east of Rectory Lane in Rivenhall, were initially refused by the council early last year, but the Planning Inspectorate has now reversed the decision on appeal.

It will be the fourth phase of development on the land.

The southern end of the site is home to phases one and two, with 385 homes.

A third phase is made up of 58 homes.

Together with Phase 3, the development will double the number of houses in the Rivenhall parish.

Braintree Council did not defend the appeal on the basis it could only demonstrate a 4.86 year supply of housing land, as opposed to the 5.1 years that it believed it could demonstrate at the time of refusing the planning application.

Silver End and Cressing councillor James Abbott, of the Green Party, said: “Developers are playing on the housing land supply figure, a very complex calculation where councils need to above the five-year supply threshold.

“Braintree Council is currently just under five years despite having a new Local Plan with many large and medium-sized housing sites allocated for building up to the year 2033.

“In my view, as someone involved in planning since the 1980s, currently the system is failing local communities, is undemocratic and is far too much tilted towards volume developers who play the system.

“Despite high rates of building in recent years and despite the Local Plan containing land for more than the legally required amount of housing in the district – over 15,000 houses – developers are pushing for more.

“There are growing concerns about pressure on GP services and there is increasing road congestion, but still the development applications keep coming.”

The decision does not mean that Bellway can start on the site straight away, with the housebuilder still needing to submit a detailed planning application.

Mr Abbott added: “But assuming that happens, then in due course a major slice of countryside between Witham and Rivenhall will be built on and the character of the historic and protected Rectory Lane will be changed permanently.

“Residents in Rickstones Road will have to contend with a new road access, with many trees being cut down to build it.”