THESE are the first pictures of the controversial homes which developers want to build on the former St Margaret's Hospital site.

The overall proposal, for 351 properties, has sparked fury among local people and a campaign to fight it is well under way.

They say the plans resemble a "ghetto" and are unhappy at the proposed size of some of the apartment blocks.

Richard Burrows, managing director of Bellway Homes, told the Guardian he believed they were "well designed". But Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing disagreed and instead branded the scheme "inappropriate and unacceptable".

Opposition has focused on the scale of the development, and fears over whether the town can cope with more residents.

But following a public display of the plans, Mr Burrows has sought to allay concerns and win the Epping community over.

He said: "The sewers and services are of adequate capacity to serve the site. The principle of development was established a number of years ago with the grant of outline planning permission, which essentially crystallised the residential potential of this site.

"To date, the scheme has been driven by English Partnerships and their need to provide the homes which are needed within the east of England.

"I believe the scheme has been very well designed and do not consider it to be over-developed. It's in line with the best practice and development of a brownfield site. The site proposals are not out of character with the previous development of the plot."

Access to the scheme will be via a new traffic light controlled junction onto The Plain.

Gillian Eastman, 63, of Hartland Road, in Epping, said: "It's ludicrous. If you look at the traffic now it's bad and there will be no doctors' surgeries. It's going to be too large. I've lived here 27 years and it's going to spoil the town.

"You've got to look at Epping now and you can't park anywhere - it's going to make it worse.

"I think anybody looking at the proposals will say it's too big and it will spoil the character of the town."

Derek Ball, 63, of The Plain - a supporter of the Plainly Say No campaign - said: "It directly affects me as it's going to be built on the back of my property. It's too high rise. The impact is going to be huge because it's a big development."

Opponents are worried about the height of some of the buildings and that the town's services will not be able to cope with the extra influx of people.

Danny Brown, 64, from Epping, said: "They've not even applied for a doctors or school. It's terrible, we've lived here 40 years and you can't keep bringing people in. The problem is the influx of people. I feel sad for my grandchildren, what are they going to do? It will force them out. You can understand why people go to live in Spain."

Mavis Ellis, 80, of Egg Hall, in Epping, said: "It looks like it has been built in the 1800s and somewhere everybody has to live because they're working in a factory environment, not in the middle of Epping. It's not what Epping wants. They won't sell them. There will be too much traffic."

Tony Carr, 69, of Centre Drive, in Epping, said: "I think the pictures look very nice and it will be an ideal development for an urban town centre where people could walk to offices, shops and stations, but it's not for Epping.

"It's going to be a difficult problem with traffic and what about school places?"

But Jan Sullivan, 57, from Ongar, said: "I think it looks very nice. It's land that can be used and we need more properties in the area.

"I think it looks really good and I'm looking forward to it. I'm in Epping all the time because this is my local town and I have three daughters and they have a chance to move to the area they know and this is perfect.

"We don't want to move out, we want to stay here. They are new and modern homes which is what young people want."

It is not yet known when the plans will be discussed by district councillors.