Plans for 102 new homes on land previously earmarked for employment on the edge of Colchester are set to get the go-ahead – despite objections from people living nearby.
The houses - on part of a larger site identified for 630 homes in the draft local plan for the area - would be built north of London Road at Stanway at Wyvern Farm.
But while the project has been largely welcomed by organisations and council officials, 48 residents living on an adjacent development have raised objections, including worries over parking and congestion on linking streets, air quality, fears over lorries carrying construction materials passing close to homes, and the impact of the proposed widening of the A12.
A report to Colchester Borough Council's planning committee on Thursday, June 13, recommends councillors approve the development.
Planning officers say "the benefits of the scheme outweigh any adverse impacts".
Said the report: "The Employment Land Needs Assessment considered the site which forms a part of a wider Stane Park allocation and concluded it would be difficult to justify retaining the full extent of undeveloped employment allocations at Stanway from both a quantitative and qualitative market perspective.
"The draft local plan therefore proposes to change the allocation from employment to residential.
"The site is unlikely to come forward for employment use due to the difficulties in gaining access via Stane Park and accessing employment uses through the existing residential streets would clearly be unacceptable.
"The site is in a sustainable location within Stanway evident by its proximity to existing and proposed residential allocations and the proposal is therefore considered to be acceptable."
A specialist consultant has reviewed an Air Quality Impact Assessment submitted with the application and is satisfied the development will not have an adverse impact on air quality.
While the site is close to the A12, Environmental Protection has carried out monitoring and does not believe traffic noise will be a problem.
In response to further concerns from Witham MP Priti Patel, Highways England have said none of the options for the A12 include widening the section near the site.
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