The man behind a new development of houses in a sought-after village has spoken out to defend the scheme and its supporters.

Opponents from the Protect Great Bentley campaign group complain that many supporters of his Admirals Farm scheme came from outside the village, with some as far away as Kent and Yorkshire.

The campaign group cites comments posted on the Tendring Council accusing opponents of ‘nimbyism’ and “whipping up a fury of rubbish allegations.”

But George Wright said there is “nothing mysterious” as to why he won council backing for his project in April.

He said he simply “engaged” with villagers, gaining support, just as the campaigners did.

Housing remains a major issue in Great Bentley, with Protect Great Bentley fighting major schemes which threaten hundreds of extra homes which they say will turn the scenic village into a small town.

Peter Barry, writing in the Great Bentley parish newsletter, questioned why Mr Wright’s development had received support.

He said: “What is mystifying is why these same supporters did not support (the neighbouring scheme known as) Bentley Gate”, wrote the group’s Peter Harry in the parish newsletter, noting it and other planned development sites in the village did not attract their support, or opposition, even though they were similar.

Mr Harry blames the government’s national planning framework, which means schemes are looked at individually, rather than as a whole to consider the cumulative impact on villages. A lack of a Local Plan is another factor.

“If there had been a Local Plan saying you have to take 50 houses, we could handle that. When there’s a free for all for developers, that’s when the concerns start getting raised,” he told the Gazette.

But Mr Wright said there were valid reasons as to why his application had been successful.

He said other projects at the other side of the village would have caused too much traffic congestion in the village centre.

Mr Wright said his scheme has traffic flowing direct on to the A133 Colchester-Clacton road.

The 52-year-old parish councillor, whose family has farmed around the village for four generations, said he knew of younger people having to move to Harwich, Colchester and elsewhere, as they cannot afford to live in the village they were born in.

“I have canvassed support. It’s amazing how many people have moved out,” he said.

The potato farmer said some opponents have also moved in to live in a “Millionaires Row” of large houses which overlooks Great Bentley’s famed village green, as well his planned housing. Their homes were built on land that once contained a pig farm and sow paddock belonging to his family.

“It’s just nimbyism in every sense of the word,” Mr Wright added.

Once the details of the scheme are settled, work on the 50 houses, which include affordable homes, is expected to start next summer.