PLANS for ten new flats in Burnham have been thrown out, overturning an officer’s recommendation to approve them.

Countryside Style Ltd wanted to build 12 apartments near Station Road in Burnham, on a patch of land behind the Tesco Express store.

Planning officers had recommended the plans to go ahead, despite 19 objection letters from residents who were concerned over lack of parking and amenity space for the development.

However, the plans were refused on Monday September 10, with the meeting hearing objections from Ron Pratt, Peter Elliott and Neil Pudney, three district councillors representing Burnham.

Burnham mayor Wendy Stamp and town councillor Vanessa Bell also voiced objections on behalf of Burnham Town Council.

Residents have previously described the plans as “claustrophobic” and that Station Road was already crowded with parked cars, meaning ten new flats would only exacerbate the issue.

The council’s refusal decision read: “The proposed development, by reason of its scale, mass, bulk and poor design would result in an incongruous backland development, out of keeping with the grain and character of the area, to the detriment of the visual amenity of the immediate area, the nearby Burnham-on-Crouch Conservation Area and the locality more widely.

“The proposed development, by reason of the design, lack of off-street car parking provision and detrimental impact on the amenity of the neighbouring residential dwellings would result in an unacceptable form of development, which is indicative of the overdevelopment of the site.”