Information on plans for a garden village, with eventual potential for 10,000 new homes, is being handed out by Great Dunmow Town Council.

The council, claiming that the new settlement will be twice the size of Great Dunmow, has produced a map and leaflet to show what the new town will look like and where it will be.

The council has also put a frequently asked questions page on its website explaining to residents how the new homes could affect them and help them compare the benefits with the other possible sites for new houses around the district.

Caroline Fuller, town clerk, told the Broadcast: “We need help to get the information out to people so we would really appreciate any offers from residents who could deliver leaflets to their own street.”

If given the go-ahead the new town, to be built on the Easton Park Estate, will start with 3,500 houses near Little Easton and the development will be called Easton Park.

Building will begin near the historic Gardens of Easton Lodge.

This is one of six potential sites for a new garden settlement to provide houses over the next 15 years.

Dunmow Town Council says the Easton Park idea is the most ambitious of the plans.

The site is part of the Easton Park Estate, owned by developer Land Securities. It is further west than Land Securities’ plan for 700 houses, which were turned down by the Secretary of State in 2015.

Building could start as soon as 2020, to the west of Highwood Quarry, which still has at least 14 years to run. The council says the only area available to build on is the area around Easton Lodge, in Little Easton, but the only road to the new homes will be a mile away, from the A120 Great Dunmow roundabout.

Though a consultation on the site is not due to take place until the summer as part of the draft Local Plan engagement – if the land is included – Great Dunmow Town Council is keen to give residents as much information as possible now to allow them to make an informed response.

Mrs Fuller said: “Great Dunmow Town Council has raised concerns about this proposal at meetings with district councillors, senior Uttlesford District Council officers, and the developers.

“It takes time to understand and form a view. We want to help answer everyone’s questions before the public consultation, which will take place in July. People can also speak to their district councillors, who will vote on the sites in the next few weeks.”

Details of shortlisted sites can be viewed on the Uttlesford District Council website.