VILLAGERS are celebrating after a developer’s appeal to build 245 homes in Great Clacton was dismissed by a planning inspector.

Manningtree Farms had applied for permission to build the homes, along with public open space, on 32 acres of land at Foots Farm in Thorpe Road.

Planning agent City and Country had hoped that it would provide £1.76million towards the restoration of listed buildings at St Osyth Priory instead of providing onsite affordable housing.

But the proposal was rejected by Tendring Council in October, following which the applicant appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.

An alternative proposal was also put forward to the inspector for 74 of the 245 homes to be affordable homes instead of the contribution towards the works at the historic priory site.

But inspector Helen Heward has now dismissed the appeal.

She said: “The open rural setting of Clacton and Little Clacton and the separate identity of Little Clacton would be eroded.

“The experience of Little Clacton being set apart and in open countryside would be all but lost.”

She added that there was some uncertainty as to when the proposed heritage benefits would be delivered.

"Contributions towards a scheme of restoration for St Osyth’s Priory would not attract any more weight than on-site affordable housing, even taking account of potential harm through non-delivery of even some restoration works at this stage," she said.

"The adverse impacts of the development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits."

John Cutting, chairman of Little Clacton Parish Council, said residents were totally against the plans.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

  • Parish council chairman John Cutting.

"The parish council vigorously opposed this application and we're very pleased with the inspector's decision," he said.

“It would have seen building in the green gap and the coalescence of Great Clacton and Little Clacton.

"Our village and its unique character would have been destroyed.

“We also didn't understand why a contribution towards the restoration of buildings at St Osyth Priory was suggested instead of a contribution towards affordable homes.

"It's more than five miles away from Little Clacton - why should we have to suffer for it?

"It would not have alleviated the need for affordable housing in the village.”