PLANS to delay the building of a spine road through a new estate in Lawford have been approved.

Rose Builders was given outline permission to build 360 homes, along with community facilities and open space, on 56 acres of land east of Bromley Road, in April 2017.

The developer has asked to vary the conditions to delay the building of the access road on to Long Road until after the 360th building is occupied.

It was originally meant to have been constructed after the occupation of the 200th property.

But the firm said that if the road is installed early it would require extensive security fencing to keep the site safe and that construction traffic would then be mixed with new residents.

But the plans mean the construction of a mini-roundabout would instead be bought forward by about six months.

A spokesman said the firm’s intention is to back-fill the site with new homes so the new residents not affected by construction.

He added that the company is “very proud” of the development.

The plans have been supported by Lawford Parish Council, but Tendring Council also received 14 letters of objection.

The parish council said it did not object to the delay in building the access road as the mini roundabout at the junction of Bromley Road and Wignall Street would be better for traffic control in the area.

But it called for the work to be completed as soon as feasibly possible.

Resident Tony Merritt, of Bromley Road, Lawford, objected to the plans.

He said: “Rose Builders say they try to be good neighbours to the residents around their Lawford Green development.

“If they mean it, why not stick to the original plan as approved and keep to the conditions agreed to?

“I don’t see any real benefit to existing residents in this variation, only more negatives.

“We are already suffering a lot of extra traffic now that 80 houses are occupied on Lawford Green.

“At school drop-off and pick-up times Bromley Road becomes quite congested, and this is before the extension to Lawford Primary School or the pre-school are functioning.

“We have to have the Long Road entrance open before the full 360 houses are occupied.”

The plans to vary the conditions to delay the new road were unanimously approved by Tendring Council’s planning committee on Tuesday.