A PUBLIC consultation will begin on Monday for home-owners in Witham who have been told the grass in their road will be asphalted over to make an access road to a new development.
Residents in Teign Drive, Witham, are furious that the council has decided that building a road through their quiet cul-de-sac is the best option for a new affordable housing development.
As part of the Local Development Framework, Braintree District Council has been tasked with building 4,600 new houses in the district by 2026. Fifty of these have been proposed for land off Blunts Hall Road, adjacent to Teign Drive.
Janet Shepherd, 61, who has lived in Teign Drive for nearly 40 years, said: "We had a letter about three weeks ago to say that the council had concluded that ours was the best road and dismissed any others."
More than 70 residents attended a public meeting in April about the proposals, many of whom walked out in protest.
"We feel the same as we did before – we don't want it," said Janet. "I replied to that letter saying that we are not at all happy about the situation.
"Priti Patel came down to meet us all and said, why should your lives be disrupted because that's the cheapest option? She told us to keep fighting."
And now the residents are working together to try to stop Braintree District Council tearing up their road.
"We have all got our own little jobs to do – in fact, right now, I'm going through land sales on the internet to try to find something out about that piece of land being specifically left for recreational purposes.
"We will do anything to stop it."
Councillor Bill Rose, who has supported the residents in their opposition to the plans, said: "Residents are vehemently opposed to this. Insurance will go up because the garages will have to come down. There is another access route, but they don't want to do that because it will cost more. The next stage is November 12."
Braintree district councillor and Witham town mayor, Michael Lager, added: "If people do have opinions about how to get to this land – and they do have opinions – the sooner they let the council know the better."
