PLANS for 214 new homes in Shoebury will go ahead with minor changes to the terms of an agreement on affordable properties.

Chelmer Homes Partnership applied for a change to part of a s106 agreement on homes set to be built on the land and between Barge Pier Road and Ness Road.

In its application, Chelmer Homes Partnership, said it believed the “council’s provisions would be considered adverse to a lender, who would restrict the affordable housing part to existing use value for social housing, rather than market value, resulting in the lender only being willing to lend a smaller amount against the property.”

Planning officers assured councillors a change to the wording would improve lender confidence and therefore make it more likely the affordable homes would be built.

They added the change would not change the requirement for 30 per cent of the development to be affordable homes.

Councillors unanimously agreed the change.

Bellway Homes is expecting to begin work on the site next year.

The company is finalising detailed plans on the homes which will be raised from the ground to combat flooding issues on the land.