VILLAGERS have been left incensed after council planning officers recommended plans to build even more houses on land earmarked for a new medical centre.

Tendring Council originally rejected the scheme for a 240-home estate on land off Halstead Road, Kirby Cross, but the plans were given the go-ahead by a planning inspector on appeal.

The permission included a condition that either a new 40-bed care home or a healthcare facility must also be built.

But developer Linden Homes is seeking approval to build 13 additional homes in place of the ‘hub’.

The application, which has now been recommended for approval by planning officers, will go before the planning committee on Tuesday after being called in for scrutiny by the ward councillor.

Frinton and Walton Town Council has recommended the new plans be refused and Tendring Council received 63 letters of objection.

But a report by planning officers said: “Linden Limited have stated in their submitted planning statement that they have tested the care home/healthcare facility market and found no demand for such use for the site, as such they see an opportunity to provide additional housing on the site as an alternative.

“With regards to the provision of the care home and community hub, under the original outline permission, the council cannot insist on its provision as they were not primary considerations in the proposal being acceptable.

“Furthermore the legal agreement is worded so that if the medical facility is not built then the developer will have to pay a healthcare contribution of £389.67 per dwelling, payable to NHS England.

“In conclusion, the proposed development would not result in any harmful impact upon visual amenity or neighbouring amenities and provides additional housing and sufficient additional parking spaces to serve the proposed units.”

The developer plans to build a mixture of two and three-bedroom houses instead of the medical facility.

The firm previously said: The applicant for the neighbouring development has been unable to obtain interest from third parties regarding these potential land uses, therefore this application is intended to provide additional housing instead.”

Residents were left livid by the proposal and launched a petition, which gained 213 signatures.

Organiser Ulrike Martin, of Halstead Road, said: “We are all furious. “The decision to allow 240 homes was outrageous and now they want even more.

“A medical facility is a big thing that we are missing. People just can’t get a doctor’s appointment -it’s desperately needed. We are all shocked.”