The following is a readers' letter from Great Totham resident Roy McPherson on plans from Gladman Developments to build 80 homes on agricultural land off Maldon Road.

Having seen the recent Nub News article concerning the Gladman proposal for the Bull Grove site in Great Totham, I felt it important to voice a local perspective.

For the past three years, Great Totham residents have given their time, energy and thoughts to the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan (NP), developed and led by residents of Great Totham. All residents have been consulted and we believe the NP is the right way ahead for the parish of Great Totham.

The Gladman proposal, which was turned down in 2015, has not fundamentally changed and is clear evidence of the greed of a property speculator with profit its main goal - not some altruistic desire to benefit Great Totham.

Great Totham forms an important function as an arcadian buffer between the ever-growing neighbourhoods of Tiptree, Wickham Bishops, Heybridge and Maldon. The green spaces are being eroded at pace, more than 1,000 homes being built on the Heybridge/Great Totham border as a prime example, and this is dwarfed by the number of homes being built all around Maldon.

Many residents and non-residents alike take great pleasure walking through the area and enjoying views across unbroken fields to the Blackwater and beyond.

The Bull Grove site has been agricultural usage for 150 years, maybe longer, and, in the years that it has lain fallow, many new species have taken up residence or new migratory visits.

The objection letter posted by the RSPB notes the previous nesting bird survey by Gladman was at the wrong time of year to be of any meaningful use. Turtle doves and nightingales are among the red or amber list species that have been witnessed. If this area was to be concreted over it would be irrevocable, once and always concrete, and would drive the burgeoning nature away. The Grove is bordered by a stream with surrounding mature trees, with some of the oaks more than 100 years old.

The original inspector report stated: "The scheme would introduce a substantial form across a large area of open countryside and development of this open field on the scale proposed would undoubtedly change its distinctive character and appearance."

Great Totham has no medical, pharmaceutical or dental facilities - all residents are already travelling out of the parish and swelling patient numbers in a few facilities. The building of 80 houses would exacerbate this problem. The same can be said of Great Totham Primary School, which is oversubscribed and would mean children coming into the area would need to be schooled elsewhere.

The Gladman PR tells us the development would bring jobs to the area. I'd argue this is not quite the truth - all building developments conducted by major companies, such as Gladman's new owners Barratt Developments, have access to a large mobile workforce meaning any local jobs would be temporary in nature thus not really benefiting the community.

Gladman has also stated that 40 per cent of the homes would be "affordable". This is a subjective number - affordable to someone for sure, but that does not mean the low income earners in Great Totham would benefit.

More than 100 letters of objection have been registered from organisations including the RSPB, neighbouring landowners and the Great Totham Action Group. Not one single letter of support from a resident is evidenced.

I think the most suitable way of ending this piece is to paraphrase the previous appeal decision which stated: "The adverse impacts of the scheme, by reason of its location and scale, would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits."

Roy McPherson