PLANS to build 14 new homes at the site of Winterdale Manor in Althorne have been rejected by Maldon District Council this afternoon (Wednesday, 30 October).

The proposals would have seen the existing six buildings at the site at Burnham Road demolished and the construction of six two-bed, five three-bed and three four-bed houses. The two-bedroomed homes would have been allocated as "affordable housing".

The application had been amended after a previous thumbs-down, but in a report to the council's South Eastern Area Planning Committee, officers recommended it was refused again on grounds including the "unsustainability" of the site for the housing proposed, with the land sitting outside of the Althorne village settlement area.

But a statement read out at the meeting on behalf of the applicant, Bardwell Plant & Agricultural Services Ltd, said: "This is a brown field site and has been vacant since 2014. The application is not detrimental to the countryside.

"The whole of Althorne has just eight affordable houses."

However, councillors voted the plans down for the reasons given by officers.

Councillor Wendy Stamp commended officers for a detailed report on the application, adding: "I agree this development would be unsustainable for the reasons given."