A NEW community development of nearly 70 homes in Green Belt land is being recommended for approval by the district council.

Developer Graham Cox's plan for 28 flats, and 41 houses at the Jennikings Garden Centre site, in Manor Road, Chigwell, will be the second major property scheme for the plot with a separate plan in place for 21 flats also now recommended for approval.

Barry Fleetwood, who lives on the opposite side of Manor Road, said Epping Forest District Council had systematically destroyed the nature of a once well-loved area.

He told the Guardian: “Another 70 houses, is another 200 people possibly. I don't know what they're doing. Manor Road used to be the pride of both boroughs. Now there's so many flats they've completely destroyed it.

“At the end of the day Green Belt is Green Belt. If the council want to go through the precess of removing it form Green Belt that's the way to do it. Not keep nibbling away at it. But the council's good at forcing these things through.”

He added: “There's a serious problem with traffic. It's very difficult to get into Manor Road in the mornings as it is. This will change the nature of Grange Hill.”

Mr Cox's plan has drawn objections from a number of nearby residents as well as Essex Area Ramblers.

Their objection reads: “The amount of traffic which would inevitably be generated would present a threat to the safety of Manor Road.”

Council officers have recommended the proposal for approval citing the 78 per cent affordable housing rate as exceptional circumstances for green belt construction.

Their report quotes Mr Cox's proposal documents which state: “The particular merits of this case mean that the limited harm to the function of the Green Belt by allowing inappropriate development is outweighed by the acute identified need for family affordable housing.”

The proposal is due to be discussed at the next planning committee meeting on Wednesday, September 16.