PLANS have been drawn up for almost 150 new homes on green belt land on the edge of Basildon.. despite previous proposals being thrown out.

Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd is behind the proposals for 146 new homes on land off Dunton Road, Dunton.

The plans say a total of 40 per cent of the development will be affordable housing and include a mixture of two, three and four bedroom homes.

Jeff Henry, Tory county councillor for Laindon Park and Fryerns, called for the open space to be protected and questioned if there are “specialist circumstances” to justify it being built on.

He said: “This site has come up and it’s been turned down. The issue remains about it being green belt land, and it should be protected.

“I do not think there is the infrastructure for this in the area.

“We do need special circumstances for using green belt like this and I don’t think we have those here. There is a difficult balance between protecting green belt land and addressing the housing need.”

The main access to the development for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles is on West Mayne, with a new road junction proposed as part of the development.

If agreed the development would have two leafy, green spaces for the residents of the new homes, including a playground which is designed for all ages with a range of play opportunities.

A design and access statement prepared by JNC Design and Planning, on behalf of Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd, states: “The application for planning permission to create 146 new homes demonstrates that the proposed scheme will ensure that the new homes and their landscaped setting creates an appropriate character for the growth of Basildon to the west.

“The proposal addresses the three overarching objectives of the planning system, using land that is available for development to deliver a residential scheme that will meet the needs of present and future generations and support a strong and vibrant community, supporting economic growth by creating new homes to facilitate local employment, and contributing to enhancing the natural environment by delivering a biodiversity net gain within a scheme that mitigates and adapts to climate change.”