A NEW mini village “should be created” off the A127 in Thundersley if a council “is forced” to include any green belt in its local plan, an MP says.

This week, Castle Point Council launched a consultation as part of the first phase of creating a draft local plan for the borough. More than 100 “potential sites for development” were listed, including the Morrisons store in Hadleigh.

The council insists that all sites shown are identified as “potential sources of development only” and are “not allocations at this stage”.

Dame Rebecca Harris, Tory MP for Castle Point, has now called for the land behind the Blinking Owl Cafe site off the A127 in Thundersley to be the only green belt site to be developed if it is needed.

She said: “If Castle Point Council are forced to include any green belt, it should only be at the Blinking Owl Cafe site in the north west corner of the borough.

“Of all the green belt sites in Castle Point that one would have the least impact on existing residents. It could pay for a much-needed new road access for the borough onto the A127 or the A130.”

In recent years, it has been suggested that the site - between the A127 and A130 - could take up to 1,200 homes and help meet Castle Point Council’s housing needs.

At the time, there were hopes the development would include a new bypass toff the roundabout at the junction of the A130 and A1245 to act as the main access road to the estate.

Warren Gibson, deputy leader of Castle Point Council, stressed no decisions had been taken and added the council had to “consider a range of options”.

He said: “The council commenced engagement (a consultation) on the Castle Point Plan Issues and Options document on July 22. This provides the chance for residents across the borough to have their say on the issues that should be addressed through the Castle Point Plan and the options for addressing those issues. We have set out potential options for meeting our development needs. This includes the potential to create a large new development area at north west Thundersley.

“But we have to consider a range of options to ensure that the final plan is as robust as it can be and is sound.”