WITHAM MP Priti Patel has welcomed a decision to reject a bid to build 90 homes in Black Notley.

Plans to build houses on countryside next to Brain Valley Avenue suffered a major setback after developer Gladman's appeal was dismissed.

Blueprints were submitted for the site in December 2020.

The bid sparked strong opposition from villagers with almost 250 objections submitted to Braintree Council, which turned down the proposals.

Black Notley Parish Council had also objected to the application.

The inspector agreed with the representations made by residents, MP Priti Patel and the earlier decision by Braintree Council, and threw out Gladman’s appeal.

Ms Patel said the decision was the right one.

She said: “This decision will be warmly welcomed by local residents in Black Notley and elsewhere as we have fought off these appalling plans.

“We’ve already seen significant development in and around the Black Notley area in recent years and these plans would have been damaging to the environment and countryside.”

But Ms Patel warned that further sites in the district could be at risk from speculative developers, saying: “Across the Witham constituency and Braintree district, speculative developers have been pursuing unsuitable and unsustainable sites for over-development against the wishes of local residents.

“Although we have had a successful outcome on this occasion, there have been too many speculative developments forced through already.

“Sadly, I suspect these developers will continue to look for sites to develop in our countryside that go against local wishes.”