SITES proposed as locations to build thousands of homes across Castle Point have left residents, an MP and leading councillors “baffled.”
Green belt land, health centres, education facilities, and supermarkets have been listed within the council’s consultation plan for Castle Point.
This week, Castle Point Council launched a consultation on the “Issues and Options” phase of creating a local plan for the borough from 2023 to 2043.
However, MP Dame Rebecca Harris said she was surprised with some of the areas listed including additional green belt sites such as south of Daws Heath Road, which has just had plans refused at appeal.
Dame Rebecca said: “The council’s new local plan will shape the future of our borough and the voices of residents must be heard. I am pleased at the council’s commitment to take them into account.
"I am surprised at many of the brownfield sites included in the council’s options as I don’t believe they will be deliverable, and I am sure residents will have very strong views on them.
"I am also surprised to see several extra green belt sites presented as options that were not considered before, and even one in Daws Heath that the planning inspector has just saved at appeal. I sincerely hope they will be ruled out.”
Andrew Sheldon, Essex County Council councillor for South Benfleet, urged the council to start using their “lower housing need figure” to cut down on “speculative applications”.
He added: “There is a lot in the options document that concerns me. The options contain a lot of brownfield sites that will not or should not come forward.
"Health centres, station car parks, supermarkets, churches, popular social clubs. If the council choose these as options all it takes is for a green belt developer to make a few phone calls to show they are unviable and present their land to the planning inspector as a viable alternative. Also, councillors should make sure that any brownfield developments come with more money for our roads, which are struggling to cope.
"I am also baffled as to why the council are making a 20-year plan rather than a 15 year one. They don’t have to it just means they have to find space for an extra 1275 homes to green light development on.”
Both Mr Sheldon and Dame Rebecca said if the council was “forced to include any green belt”, the “Blinking Owl Cafe” site off the A127 in North West Thundersley should be used as it would create an “extra access road into the borough.”
’No decisions have been made’
In response, Dave Blackwell, leader of Castle Point Council, has insisted that "no decisions have been made".
He claims the council has to "consider development in all possible locations", but it doesn't mean "it will happen".
Mr Blackwell said: “No decisions have been taken on any sites.
“Sites have been included for consultation because they have development potential. Being included does not mean they will necessarily be developed.
“In order to demonstrate to the Planning Inspector that we have considered reasonable alternatives, green belt sites have been included in the consultation so people can let us know their views. The more urban sites that are developed the less need there will be to consider green belt sites for potential development.
“We have to consider development in all possible locations – that doesn’t mean it will definitely happen, but if we haven’t considered it, the plan may not be approved.
“I hope all residents will take the opportunity to engage with the Castle Point Plan and have their say.”
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