RESIDENTS are furious over plans to build four semi-detached homes on a patch of land in Old Leigh.

The application would see a garage to the rear of 9 Hadleigh Road demolished and the four homes build in its place, with access from Laurel Close.

The new homes would be in close proximity to 1 to 9 Hadleigh Road and numbers 26 to 31 New Road, with residents complaining of back land development.

Leigh Town Council’s planning, highways and licensing committee supported the views of the residents, around 20 of whom turned out at a meeting of the committee to make their voices heard.

Councillor Caroline Parker, chairman of the committee, said: “The application is just ridiculous.

“Were the houses to be built they would interfere with all the surrounding properties, blocking out light, overlooking their homes.

“It is in a conservation area as well and the design wasn’t really in keeping with the surroundings.

“All things considered we had no other option other than to object to the plan.

“We had 11 letters of objection sent to us which is almost a record.”

Issues of parking and the stability of the land were also raised in the objections and nine official comments have been made to Southend Council by concerned residents all objecting to the plan.

The plans have been drawn up by SKArchitects, of London Road, Westcliff, and in one of the documents they claim the plan is based on “an aspiration to enhance and exploit the natural characteristics of the site with a panoramic outlook across the Thames Estuary and Hadleigh Castle”.

The document also reads: “The Hadleigh Road site provides an opportunity to enhance the urban fabric and graft the uncharacteristic space, in an otherwise tight grain urban and residential context, to deliver much needed high quality family homes in the heart of Leigh, close to the commercial centre and sea front.”

Southend Council will have the final say on the plan, with a decision expected before Wednesday, March 16.