TOWN councillors fear plans for 110 new houses instead of bungalows in Kirby Cross will lead to arguments between neighbours over parking.

Outline planning permission has already been granted for homes on the 4.8-hectare plot of open land behind Thorpe Road and Chapel Lane.

But residents and Frinton and Walton town councillors have been left upset by the detailed blueprints for the site, which show developer Taylor Wimpey East now want to create two-storey homes over the entire site.

Previously submitted detailed plans, which have yet to be agreed by Tendring Council, indicated a majority of the properties would be bungalows.

Former mayor Jack Robertson said: “The last time plans were put in for this site it was for mostly bungalows, but now they’re two-storey dwellings.

"That means they’ll be a lot more cars and families rather than retired people.”

Frinton Residents’ Association chairman Alan Eldret added that he was concerned about “shared space” on the estate, which he said could lead to children playing on the road, and called for "properly raised pavements".

He added: “It already has outline planning permission, so my concern is about density and the number of people – including children - who will be there now, rather than retired people.

“We thought it would be bungalows and we must now make sure there is the right environment for children.”

Terry Allen criticised the density of homes on the plot and called for more open space to be included.

He added: “The whole place is going to be full of cars, and then we’ll get what happens in Peake Avenue with neighbour disputes and arguments.

“We are going to have clusters of estates.

“This was down as bungalows when it came before us before.

“We want retired people to come here, not loads and loads of estates.

“We haven’t got the schools, and doctors and facilities for them.

“We have a good mixture of people at the moment, but now all we are getting are estates.

“How many of these include bungalows? The only bungalows are aspirational ones out of the reach of most people.”

A design and access statement by the developer said the mix of houses is based on extensive market research and that streets are designed to "facilitate much lower vehicle speeds".

It added: "It is anticipated that the number of vehicle movements in the cul-de-sac streets and on the private drives will be minimal, allowing the streets to be used for children’s play."

Frinton and Walton Town Council recommended the plan for refusal, although a final decision will be made by Tendring Council.