A DEVELOPER has submitted fresh plans for 320 homes, a new hospital and an A414 relief road.

Dartmouth Park Estates submitted the final application for the South Maldon Garden Suburb in December last year.

The application for the north of the site, included 2,000 sq m of work space, land for community use, up to 370 homes and a new A414 relief road.

This month the developer submitted amended proposals after concerns were raised by various groups including Essex Highways, Maldon Society and Woodham Mortimer Parish Council.

The new scheme has seen the relief road realigned.

The number of homes proposed has been reduced by 50, to up to 320.

Details concerning a new hospital and health centre on the site remain unchanged.

Wycke Hill is one of five locations being considered for a replacement to Maldon’s St Peter’s Hospital.

Dartmouth Park has been in discussion with the Mid Essex clinical commissioning group and its predecessor since 2008 regarding the provision of the hospital.

Woodham Mortimer and Hazeleigh Parish Council objected to the original plans over concerns about overdevelopment.

They have now also objected to the revised proposals.

The comment submitted by clerk Andrew Ritchings said: “Further to having accepted and supported the application for 1,000 dwellings on the outskirts of Maldon town encroaching into the villages of Woodham Mortimer and Hazeleigh, the parish council believe that a further development of an additional 320 new homes close to the aforementioned application is extreme overdevelopment resulting in a detrimental and negative impact on the rural nature and character of this area due to the sheer bulk and scale of the development.”