A NEW health centre and care home have been dropped from plans for a 130 home development to create space for a huge Lidl, it has been revealed.

New documents submitted to Basildon Council, by developer Scott Properties, show the development off London Road, Billericay, will no longer include the promised health care facilities.

When the plans were initially announced last October, the developer stated that both a care home and “NHS facilities” would accompany the homes and supermarket in the development on green belt land.

However, the latest documents reveal they have both been ditched to create more space for the budget supermarket.

When the plans were initially announced last October, residents reacted with fury over the potential loss of green belt land in the area.

However, the developer has justified building on the site because of Basildon Council’s lack of local plan and “significant undersupply of both market and affordable homes”.

Billericay resident, Paul Markey, 70, believes that despite the controversy the site has caused by being on the green belt, the town needs the homes.

He said: “Frankly, I would be quite happy for more homes in and around Billericay as long as it is done thoughtfully.

“Those of us in Billericay have pulled the ladder up when it comes to housing and my own children cannot afford to live near me due to ridiculously high-house prices.

“I am not saying others’ views should be railroaded over, but we cannot let nimbyism take hold, this will be the first time that people of a certain age’s children won’t do as well as their parents did.

“We have to start facing up to reality.”

Documents also reveal a proposed split of up to 40 affordable homes and 90 market houses.

Billericay resident, Andrew Stevens, 23, said: “I understand the argument that people need places to live but the homes are in green belt and are always pitched as affordable but they are new builds, they won’t be.

“They are out of reach for us.

“The solution to a crisis like this in housing would be more collaborative housing, sharing, apartments and flats so more people live with friends, its an economic choice.”