RESIDENTS clashed with councillors as Tendring Council’s “vision” for 12,000 new homes in the district went under the spotlight.

There were heated exchanges between the public and members of Tendring Council’s local plan committee as a meeting got under way on Tuesday night.

Residents claimed they were not being allowed to voice their opinions on the proposals, which could see 4,000 homes built in Clacton and 1,000 more in both Harwich and Weeley.

The committee agreed to allow officers to push ahead with plans for 12,000 homes across the district.

They stressed they were not agreeing to where houses should go, but confirmed the overriding vision.

Councillor Ivan Henderson said: “What the public needs to know is the consequences of us not having a plan.

“If we haven’t got a plan to send in to Government, any developer will have the God-given right to pick a place wherever and, instead of putting it through the council, they can go straight to the Secretary of State and go over our heads and get it developed.

“We have been given an ultimatum by Government – we have got to have something in place.”

The next meeting of the local plan committee is on September 30.