The part-owner of a golf course that could soon be covered in 690 homes has argued the case for a "once in a generation" project.

In June developer Quinn Estates and homebuilder Redrow Homes submitted a joint planning application for the former North Weald Golf Club site off Rayley Lane, asking permission to build 555 homes, affordable homes, a 70 bed retirement complex and 70 bed nursing care accommodation.

They would sit alongside a sports hub, medical centre and fishing lake.

Bradley Smith, who owns a 50 per cent share of the land with his father-in-law Andrew Lloyd Skinner - who bought the course from Barclays in 2003 - has made an impassioned case for the project.

The Hastingwood resident said: "This is a once in a generation opportunity for development that can deliver a massive amount of community and sporting benefits.

"This is not just housing, it is the vital supporting infrastructure that creates balanced and healthy places to live, work and socialise.

"Unlike most other potential sites both at North Weald Bassett and other settlements across the district, this one is spade-ready.

"We have a quality housebuilder and a commercial developer committed to bringing forward this scheme subject only to the granting of planning permission."

The plan for the project was hatched by Mr Smith and Mr Skinner as they watched their golfing business decline, with an oversupply of courses in Essex and mounting costs leading to in excess of £1.5m of losses over ten years.

Their development dreams - which must be approved by Epping Forest District Council before building can begin - have not been popular with everybody.

Mr Smith was keen to address concerns raised by residents at a meeting two weeks ago, which largely revolved around the predicted extra-strain on infrastructure and a loss of green land.

He added: "Successful planning is about facilitating the correct growth at the correct locations.

"This is currently a site that is not in agricultural use, which is largely vacant and derelict, and which serves a very limited planning benefit.

"We therefore have a unique opportunity to transform this private land into something positive through an attractive scheme, with an unprecedented amount of parkland and open space made available for use by the public."

As well as funding the medical and sports centres, the latter of which would be used by UK Karate and Epping Youth Football, the developers want to stump up funds to ease traffic flow on the nearby M11 Junction 7.

Mr Smith would not say how much he and his father-in-law stood to make from the sale of the land to Redrow Homes.

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