HUNDREDS of homes could be built next to the A127 after fresh plans were submitted to Basildon Council.

Croudace Homes is behind huge plans to build 400 homes on land next to Wash Road, in Noak Bridge, above the A127 and close to the Summerhill Garden Centre.

The plans were published on Basildon Council’s planning website on Friday and have immediately sparked concerns over development on green belt land.

The site is roughly 20 hectares in size – the equivalent of 28 football pitches.

Tory Crouch ward councillor, Stuart Allen, said: “It’s on the green belt and it affects the use of Wash Road, which is a wonky sort of lane, and it is quite narrow, cars pass through there and there would be quite a lot of traffic coming onto there.

“It will affect the character of Noak Bridge and the conservation area, it won’t be built in the village style which most of Noak Bridge has been built to. They are standard estates that developer put up, they are not really in sympathy with Noak Bridge.

“The conservation area is on the western end, it has spread Eastwood, and it is another thing which will contribute to the standardisation of Noak Bridge.

“If it does get built as a normal estate, the provision of school is concerning because Noak Bridge school is full to capacity which can pose an issue.”

The land was initially allocated as having potential for housing in Basildon Council’s draft local plan before it was withdrawn.

Croudace Homes initially submitted an environmental screening request –- the first stage of a planning application – in July last year before submitting the full application.

It comes as a host of housing plans are considered in Basildon, with fresh plans submitted for 650 homes off London Road, in Vange and after plans were approved to build 269 homes on land south of Dunton Road.

Croudace Homes, which was contacted for comment, is a “well-established regional residential developer” that was founded in 1946 and remains a family-owned business.

Bosses say they are “committed to building high-quality homes backed up with a first-class customer service.”