PLANS for up to 65 new homes on employment land have been recommended for approval, despite the council previously turning down leisure, shopping and restaurant schemes partly because they were in similar areas.

O&H Colchester has submitted and outline application for 65 homes off Church Lane in Stanway – an area which is part of the Lakelands site but ringfenced for employment use.

Proposals for Tollgate Village, a massive leisure and retail site, and Stane Park, a collection of restaurants, both in Stanway were both originally turned down by Colchester Council partly because the sites were supposed to be used for employment.

The Stane Park decision was overturned following an appeal and a public inquiry into Tollgate Village will begin next year.

In a report, officers said the planning inspector’s decision to allow Stane Park had a bearing on their decision to recommend approval.

It said: “This application whilst contrary to the council’s Local Plan is recommended for approval having regard to the recent Stane Park appeal decisions which permitted the loss of strategic employment zone land at Stanway.

“Other factors include the site’s relatively small area compared to the overall zone, the fact it is not the highest quality employment land within Stanway and its location adjacent to residential development at Lakelands.

“In reaching the recommendation to grant planning permission significant weight has been given to outcome of the Stane Park appeals where the inspector allowed the developments despite the employment allocation of the land.

“Those decisions are now material considerations and the inspectors justification needs to be carefully considered for any parallel relevance.

“This residential proposal will not create jobs in the way the Stane Park proposals will although it will sustain construction jobs in the area for a short period.

“The loss of this site for employment purposes, were members minded to grant planning permission, will mean the site will be lost for job creation close to a burgeoning community; but it is considered sufficient employment zone land remains allocated and available to ensure that new jobs are created locally in future.”

The exact type of housing has yet to be confirmed, but a potential mix of 46 houses, 17 flats and two flats above garages have been mooted.

Stanway Parish Council has objected to the plans saying the scheme is too dense, overdeveloped and does not have enough parking.

Officers have recommended the plans are approved subject to a Section 106, but the final decision will be made by the council’s planning committee on Thursday, September 6.