THE owners of St Osyth Priory have appealed against decisions to reject controversial proposals for more than 100 extra homes in the village.

Tim Sargeant submitted a host of applications as part of plans to raise cash to restore the historic monument, which dates back to 1120.

Tendring Council’s planning committee passed just two of the nine planning applications in January, including 190 new homes on the Wellwick site, off Colchester Road.

English Heritage opposed most of the proposed developments, claiming they would cause serious harm to the historic site.

The Sargeant family has now launched an appealed in a bid to overturn the decisions.

The proposals could now go before a planning inspector at a public inquiry.

Mr Sargeant said: “We have appealed the seven applications because we have been advised that the English Heritage advice to the council is unsound and there is a substantial conservation deficit that requires funding to bring forward repairs to allow this great heritage estate to be opened back up to the public."

The applications being appealed are expected to include three separate plans for a total of 102 homes on the priory estate, 21 flats in a new malting style building, the demolition of a house in Mill Street and a new visitor centre and function room.

Save Our St Osyth group spokesman David Smith said a public inquiry will mean the full disclosure of information that residents have not been able to see.

He said: “The priory owners have extensive financial and legal resources at their disposal, but we have an overwhelming level of public support which more than compensates and we are confident that the community’s views will prevail and rejection of the applications will be confirmed.”