DEVELOPERS have won the battle to build at Turpins Farm on the edge of Frinton.

Tendring councillors approved plans for 210 homes, feeling this was better than losing an appeal for 250 homes on the Elm Tree Avenue site.

The Burghes Estate originally wanted 250 homes but at an earlier planning committee meeting they were asked to come up with a smaller scheme.

The committee on Tuesday reluctantly approved the scheme by nine votes to one.

Frinton councillor Nick Turner, who is not on planning committee, but attended the meeting, declared the approval “disappointing.”

Mr Turner said after the meeting: “The committee was more worried about the developer going to appeal. And them winning 250. They thought 210 was the best of a bad lot.

“All local councillors are not against development there. It was about the quantity and the quality. It’s a beautiful site. It deserves better architecture than is suggested,” he said.

During the meeting, planning officers revealed Tendring District now has a 4.4 year housing supply, a number which has increased following recent approvals.

This is close to the 5 year target it must be able to demonstrate to help resist planning applications.

Mr Turner said some 800 homes have recently being approved within 2.5 miles of each other.

This includes 240 at Halstead Road, 110 at Chapel Lane, 28 off Frinton Road, 217 at the Martello site and now 210 at Elm Tree Avenue, with several smaller ‘in-fill’ schemes on top.

There’s nothing or little extra for infrastructure like roads or the NHS, he added, but through section 106 Contributions, Essex County Council will have received £3Million overall, “enough for a school.”

On Turpins Farm alone, Tendring Council sought Section 106 payments of around £1.8 million for schools and childcare provision, plus £63,370 towards the NHS.  Council policies demanding 30 per cent ‘affordable housing’ also means it will seek “up to 63 dwellings at discounted price, or 18 gifted dwellings,” through such an agreement.