An application to build 129 new homes in Ongar was approved following a unanimous vote by members of Epping Forest District Council’s planning committee.

Five-star house builder Persimmon Homes will start work on the new community early next year after securing permission for the site on land north of Chelmsford Road this week.

The development will bring a mix of 77 open market homes, 13 shared ownership properties and 39 homes that will be offered, through a housing partner, for below market rent to those on the council’s housing list.

Homes will range in size from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom family homes, each fitted with an electric vehicle charging point and built to M4(2) accessibility standards, meaning they are adaptable to cater for the changing needs of their future residents.

A central area of shared open space sits at the heart of the new development, along with a large area of open space to the east. As part of the Homes for Nature initiative, Persimmon will also use swift bricks, bird boxes and bee houses throughout the build while establishing wildflower planting areas to encourage wildlife to the area, and create a biodiversity net gain.

New footpaths and cycle routes will run through the development, and a range of highway improvements will also be delivered to the existing highway network around the Four Wantz roundabout, which will create links to the centre of Ongar to encourage sustainable travel and support the vitality of the high street.

The house builder will be making a contribution of £320,000 to improve the local bus service to further encourage sustainable travel. This is part of a £2 million overall package of investment that will be made as part Persimmon’s developer contributions. As a result, the wider community will benefit from financial contributions towards early years education provision, sports provision, libraries and upgrading existing play facilities within the town.

Richard Hush, Managing Director for Persimmon Homes Essex, said: “We are delighted to be bringing new homes to Ongar, and funding the much-needed upgrades to the Four Wantz roundabout.

“Our planning team worked constructively with Epping Forest District Council to design an architecturally strong scheme that will embrace and enhance the area within which it will sit.”