TENDRING Council leader Neil Stock says he wants to reduce the number of big new estates being built in the district.

Mr Stock said the council may look at reducing the housing target for the Local Plan from 12,000 to 10,000 in response to an independent report released this week.

“We are very sensitive to the fact that a vast majority of residents living in Tendring don’t want massive new housing developments springing up all over the community," he said.

“Most are happy to accept small developments, odd houses here and there, as well as building on brownfield sites or infilling.

“But massive new housing estates with thousands of people transform communities and put pressure on infrastructure such as doctors’ surgeries and roads."

But Mr Stock, who is also chairman of the council’s Local Plan committee, said working with the other councils meant they could build houses where there was real demand and where they would be genuinely sustainable.

“We are not going to be Nimby and say we won’t build anything, but no-one wants big new estates near them."