A VOTE on plans to create extra parking at Marks Tey station has been deferred ...because they are too confusing.

Greater Anglia applied to Colchester Council to demolish old railway units at Marks Tey station car park and create 195 new spaces.

The car park has 257 spaces, but demand exceeds supply and commuters face a daily struggle to find a place.

The plans were set to be approved at the latest planning committee meeting but Colchester councillors said there needed to be more clarification on certain points.

Three other letters of objection were submitted to the council at the last minute as well as a comment from Highways England.

The Highways England comment said: “In principle the car park extension is a good idea as it will encourage greater use of the train, it may also relieve some of the parking pressures currently experienced in and around Marks Tey.

“However, I am concerned no assessment has been carried out on the potential impact on A12 Marks Tey junction or the junction with the A120, or the on the impact of extra cyclists using the road network to get to the extra cycle parking spaces.

“We will be formally requesting the answers to these questions in the next few days and requesting an extension of time to give the station operator a chance to address those concerns.”

Residents of nearby North Lane said they felt “totally ignored” and the development would be a “blight on the neighbourhood”.

Alan Walker, chairman of Marks Tey Parish Council, added: “Agreeing to this outside of the boundary sets a dangerous precedent for other sites in Marks Tey. Clarification and further consultation is needed.”

Concerns were also raised over screening the site from other houses, and disabled access.

Chris Heather, speaking on behalf of Greater Anglia, said there was strong evidence of the need for car parking.

He agreed the car park extension was outside the settlement boundary, but said as the car park needed to be as close to the station as possible, there was justification for it.

Jackie Maclean (Con), who represents Marks Tey, said the plans were premature ahead of Colchester’s Local Plan.

She said: “This is muddled, it is not straightforward, and it is disingenuous. I think we should go back and rethink it, and get the whole picture.”

However councillor Julie Young (Lab), stepping in for councillor Chris Pearson, said it would create more sustainable transport and the benefits outweighed the dangers.

The vote was deferred unanimously by councillors.