Plans to build 80 family homes to fund a new hospice are set for planning approval.

The homes will be built on Little Malgraves Farm on Lower Dunton Road in Bulphan, alongside a new a new two-storey hospice.

Initial plans for the site were granted planning permission two years ago but on Thursday, members of Thurrock’s planning committee will discuss a revised planning application which puts a larger focus on family homes.

Developer Redrow said in planning documents this is something Thurrock has “historically lacked”.

It continued: “Interest has come from families living in the local area or those resettling to the borough due to the high employment growth occurring at economic hubs, such as DP World London Gateway.

“As a consequence, this detailed planning application seeks to positively respond to this by proposing an amended mix that increases the number of four-bedroom properties on the site from 40 to 65.”

Work on the hospice has already begun and will eventually be operated by the Thurrock and Basildon’s palliative care charity, St Luke’s Hospice.

Developer Redrow said the housing and the hospice are “intrinsically linked” as the homes will “entirely fund” the new hospice.

Ahead of Thursday’s Planning Committee meeting, the council’s planning team has published a report recommending the revised plans are approved.

Council officers highlighted the development is taking place on green belt land but explained planning approval can be justified because the houses help support the hospice.

The reports added: “The residential development is required as an enabling development to fund the hospice. There were no alternative options of funding for the hospice to be provided at this time and without the residential accommodation the hospice could not have been built.

“The hospice has now been built and will shortly be ready for occupation. A need for a hospice existed and this presented the unique set of circumstances to allow development in the green belt.”