Widely derided plans to build 300 homes on a greenfield site off Samsons Road in Brightlingsea could be scrapped.
Allocating the land for housebuilding was proposed as part of the requirement by central government to build up to 8,000 more homes in the district by 2042, in addition to around 11,000 already in the pipeline.
But following discussions with Brightlingsea town and district councillors, Tendring District Council’s (TDC) planning policy and local plan committee has now suggested that five alternative sites – including the former Well House site in Chestnut Way – could be used to fill some of the town’s original allocation of up to 400 homes.
Much of the objection to the Samsons Road site was based around its distance from the centre of Brightlingsea, and its access to the busy main road. At a meeting in December 2025, local district councillor Jayne Chapman told planners that building there would “fracture the town”, causing more traffic congestion and straining local services.
Now, a statement issued by Brightlingsea Town Council (BTC), says that TDC officers took into account ” the site’s weak physical relationship to the settlement form of Brightlingsea and its landscape sensitivity; acknowledging the concerns raised around Brightlingsea’s unique transport limitations with its single road access”.
After hearing a presentation by planning officers, member of the local plan committee unanimously agreed to take the new Brightlingsea proposals to a second public consultation later this year. This means that the Samson’s Road plan is unlikely to be adopted as policy – but is not yet definitely off the cards.
Town mayor Ric Morgan praised Cllr Chapman’s work in lobbying against the plans. He said: TDC has recognised the limitations of Brightlingsea Road and our infrastructure, and has recognised that it would not be connected to the town.”
He added: “It’s absolutely vital that we keep that stretch of open farmland to keep Brightlingsea and Thorrington separate so that we don’t get any more ribbon development.”
The five sites – and the suggested housing allocations – can be seen on the map below.