Proposals to demolish a bungalow on Acacia Drive have been voted down by Maldon Town Council.

Members of the town council's planning committee last night (Monday, 12 July) voted to recommend that the proposal to demolish the bungalow at 9 Acacia Drive be refused.

The final decision will be made when Councillor Flo Shaughnessy or Councillor Mark Heard call it in for a decision by the Central Area Planning Committee at Maldon District Council.

The plans are for a three-bedroom house to replace the existing two-bedroom bungalow on Acacia Drive, which has neighbouring houses on both sides. The existing bungalow is thought to be built in the 1920s.

Councillors refused the proposal based on its "bulk, scale and design" in relation to the overall street scene of Acacia Drive. They said that the plot is quite narrow and they felt that another large house would make the housing on the street look more dense.

The debate also centred on the shortage of bungalows in Maldon, which has one of the oldest populations in the UK. Maldon District Council has previously identified the need for more retirement properties in the area as its proportion of elderly residents grows.

Councillor Mark Heard said: "Bungalows are something Maldon is short of and we are always pleased to see new planning applications for bungalows."

He said that the proposals are "out of character" for the street and would "set a precedent", adding: "That means we're going to start to lose the bungalows in Maldon."

Speaking in favour of the plans, Councillor Tony Shrimpton said: "It's not going to be an eyesore and is very much in keeping with the road."

The proposal to refuse the plans was voted through with four councillors for and three against.