The latest phase of a 1,138-home garden suburb has been delayed in an attempt by Essex councillors to reduce the height of a block of flats.

An application by Bellway Homes, which sought detailed permission for 262 homes in the North Heybridge Garden Suburb, was deferred by Maldon District Council's district planning committee.

Councillors at the meeting said they wanted to see the layout of this phase of the scheme changed, or the height of a three-storey apartment block in Broad Street Green Road reduced.

The bid forms phase two of the overall scheme, which was granted outline consent on appeal in 2019.

Jamie McCathur, Regional Planning Director for Bellway Homes, said: "We are committed to delivering a high quality and sustainable scheme. The necessary funding and construction team is in place to start work as soon as possible.

"The application will provide a range of planning and regeneration benefits including the delivery of much needed new homes and the associated direct investment this brings, in turn providing wider economic benefits." 

Cllr Richard Siddall (Independent Group, Great Totham) said the location and height of the apartment block could have an unnecessary impact on the area and neighbours.

He said: "The one that's the biggest scale is going on the edge of this development, which is just madness."

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He later said: "I just think that's terrible and as the Great Totham ward representative I am appalled."

Phase one was granted permission by the committee in April this year. The wider garden suburb is set to include a primary school, early years childcare facility and a 120 bed care home.

But Cllr Paula Spenceley (Lib Dem, Heybridge West) expressed further disappointment that the early years childcare facility was not being delivered in this phase, as had previously been intended.

She said: "We will never make residents positive about development when we don't deliver the infrastructure we've promised."

According to a council report, this phase is the largest of the three sites allocated for development in the North Heybridge Garden Suburb.

Bellway have acquired the parcels of land for phase two from original developers Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd.