FEARFUL residents have called on Salary Brook to be made a country park to save it from housing.

Colchester East Community Association has set up a Save Salary Brook Valley initiative amid fears hundreds of houses could be built there under both Colchester Council’s and Tendring Council’s local plans.

About 200 residents have backed the proposals to earmark the Greenstead site as a country park.

Colchester Council outlined three options in a bid to meet anticipated demand for 1,065 new homes a year in the borough at a meeting on Tuesday.

One of the options in its draft local plan suggests 15,000 homes could be built to the south-west along the A120 near Marks Tey and a further 6,000 to the east of Greenstead.

The other options would involveasingle large development on one side of town or the other in a bid to meet housing demand between now and 2032.

Although it is not clear exactly where the proposed houses would go, the campaigners now hope to have Salary Brook named as an asset of community value.

Joseph Turner, who set up Colchester East Community Association, said: “It is a beauty spot with views of the valley from its ridges which are arguably the best valley hillside views in the whole area.”

He told the meeting the brook’s air tranquillity and wildlife population were “irreplaceable” and supported the community’s health and quality of life.

He added: “Our Save Salary Brook Valley initiative is formally supported by almost 200 people and this figure is projected to rise rapidly.”

The community group was urged by the committee to submit its views in the consultation when it launches in the new year.