A NEW housing development which campaigners say would have led to the extension of Braintree into the countryside has been thrown out.

Braintree Council's planning committee voted unanimously against Gordon Homes' application build 33 homes off Grove Field, during a meeting.

Councillors said they had a number of strong reasons for refusal, including pedestrian safety and the impact the scheme would have had on its rural setting.

More than 130 objection letters had been submitted over the application, including one from the, Bocking and High Garret Residents Action Group.

The group previously stated approval of the application would “open the floodgates” for thousands of homes to be built in the High Garrett and Bocking area.

A statement read out the group’s behalf during the planning meeting added: “The application fails to recognise the importance the site plays and the setting it creates in presenting a soft undeveloped approach to the Town and controlling urban sprawl.

“If allowed this application would result in the intrusion of development into the countryside to the detriment of the rural character of the site and it’s wider setting.”

Councillors agreed with the concerns, and also raised doubts about the developer’s plans to build a footpath along the A131 for residents living in the new houses.

Planning boss Gabriele Spray said: “The application is wrong on a number of levels.

The design and layout means it has the appearance of being very urban in character and there are issues around the siting of the number of homes.

“The highways problem is a serious issue. There is a complete lack of safe walking for pedestrians.

“It’s a really busy road, there have been accidents along there, even fairly recently.

“It isn’t safe and putting a refuge in the middle of the road doesn’t help in my view.”

Councillors followed the advice of planning officers to refuse the plans, adding the experts had “got it absolutely right” when outlining reasons for rejecting the plans.

Gordon Homes had previously had an application to build 40 homes on the same site turned down in February 2018.

The developer has six months to lodge an appeal and challenge the latest ruling.