A 230-home plan looks set to be rejected by councillors next week.

An application to deliver the massive homes plan at the Nazeing Glass Works site will go in front of Epping Forest District Council’s planning committee next Monday.

The plans would see the glass works demolished to make way for 230 homes across seven buildings, ranging in height from three to five storeys.

The development in Nazeing New Road would also include up to 5,000 square metres for "employment uses", including 960 square metres of office space, 3,025 square metres of light industrial space, and 1,015sqm square metres of flexible retail, health and leisure space.

A basement carpark is proposed, providing a total of 324 parking spaces, of which 230 spaces will be for residents, 50 for staff parking, and 44 for visitor spaces.

Council planning officers have recommended the plans are rejected ahead of the committee meeting.

Planning documents show council officers are opposed to the plans, largely due to the size of the proposed blocks of flats.

One block, which would be 5-storeys tall, is proposed within close proximity to the Nazeing Meads South Lagoon.

Council documents state the block would “represent an incongruous and prominent visual intrusion to the detriment of the landscape character of the site.”

The proposals would also see the loss of “at least 33 native trees”, council officers noted, adding the loss of the trees would have a “serious detrimental impact” on the character of the area.

Council officers also cited the Local Plan which allocated the Nazeing Glass Works site for developments that will further “employment growth” rather than residential developments.

Council documents state: “The development would result in the unacceptable loss of employment floorspace within a designated employment site.

“Furthermore, the lesser level of employment re-provision proposed is compromised by the lack of detail provided to satisfy the council that a high quality and true employment-led mixed-use scheme will be delivered… the proposal would undermine economic growth in the district.”

Council officers also criticised the development for a lack of "adequate" cycle storage – with 350 cycle parking spaces proposed, of which 230 would be for residents.

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