Locals worry about Galley's Corner housing site, Cressing

Persimmon Homes are working on the development in Braintree Road near Galley's Corner in between Braintree and Tye Green.

Plans for the development were originally refused by Braintree Council in 2019, with Braintree Council citing many concerns about the danger of nearby roads, noise and odour from the neighbouring industrial site, and the loss of agricultural land.

The plans however were appealed and after a five-day public inquiry allowed by an independent Planning Inspector.

Danger- The excavations are just a few feet from a busy main road. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

The inspector acknowledged that “the development would be at odds with the area’s strategy for the location of new housing” and that harm to the countryside would be “moderate.”

They added how “adverse impacts would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits".

Now, with work ongoing, residents have expressed concerns over the safety of the site and where the homes are due to be built.

Nearby resident Sandra Sampson said: “I think it’s dangerous on that bend.

“The footings for these new houses are right there, I’m just worried about how close it is to the road.

“Normally, they have a front garden or grass verge, but there’s nothing.

“New houses are going up everywhere, but right on that bend I think is very dangerous.”

Close- Some foundations are very close to a sharp bend on Braintree Road. (Image: Claudia Bradley)

Elderly resident, Geoff Davidson, who also lives in the area, also expressed his concerns.

He said: “There’s a lot of traffic on that road so that roundabout has to be a reasonable size for the right level of traffic.

“I was concerned to drive past there and see the possibility of them building houses so near to that road.

“The health risk to residents is quite important when they’re that near the to the road.”

Braintree Council stressed that as part of the development, Persimmon Homes is "required to reroute a short section of the B1018 Braintree Road" and the houses currently under construction near Braintree Road will "not be as close to the main road once this is rerouted".

"The new access link road will be built and second roundabout access will need to be completed before more than 50 homes are occupied," a spokesman added.

Plan- Braintree Road will be redirected to make way for a new large roundabout by the development. (Image: Braintree District Council)

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said: “In line with our approved planning permission, we are constructing a roundabout that will create a new route for vehicles and divert vehicles away from the section of road referenced by local residents.

"With this change, the section of Braintree Road closest to these homes will, in effect, become a service road that is used to facilitate access to a handful of properties.

“Preparatory works have already started on the new roundabout with the main construction work due to commence in just a few weeks, ahead of the new roundabout opening this winter.”