THE developer behind a controversial 214-home scheme in Shoebury is said to be “considering its position” after a bid to slash the number of affordable homes it must provide failed.

Southend Council refused to lower the requirement for affordable homes at the Barge Pier Road site under a s106 agreement from 30 per cent to 10 per cent.

Developer Bellway Homes claimed the cost of flood mitigation work at the development, which sits on a flood plain, had increased but councillors on the development control committee weren’t swayed.

Since then the controversial scheme, which involves bringing thousands of lorry loads of earth to raise the ground before building begins, appears to have stalled.

Bellway says it is still committed to the scheme but is said to be asking for further variations of conditions imposed by the planning consent.

Ron Woodley, Independent councillor for Thorpe Ward, who has fought the scheme over the disruption that could be caused, is set to meet with Bellway.

He said “They’ve got another application in to vary a condition. I’m talking to the planning department about what it means and Bellway have asked to meet me.

“The application isn’t about affordable housing and as far as I’m concerned the council has a policy on affordable homes and we should be sticking to it, otherwise we just open the door up to any other developer to say we want the same so we’ve got to be very careful.”

Mr Woodley added: “I hope to find out more once I’ve spoken to the head of planning and once I’ve had the meeting with Bellway. They get these conditions on them then they try and vary them to get what they wanted in the first place.”

A Southend Council spokesperson stated the developer is “considering its options”.

They said: “It is understood that Bellway are considering their position on the matter of affordable housing.

“They haven’t yet made any formal revised affordable housing submissions. The terms of the original legal agreement controlling the level of affordable housing remain in force in the meantime.”

A spokesperson for Bellway said: “As the variation linked to affordable homes was refused, we are continuing to engage with officers and councillors on this. Bellway remains committed to bringing the development forward.”