Jotmans Farm Benfleet 850-home plan unveiled by developers

Farmland running parallel to Canvey Way and stretching up to the Sadlers Farm roundabout, known as Jotmans Farm, will be transformed into a new housing estate if long-awaited plans are approved by Castle Point Council. 

The plans, revealed by developers Persimmon Homes, Redrow Homes, and Burrows and Dunn, have been touted for the last decade and have proved hugely controversial among residents. 

Now, the first stage of a planning application - known as a scoping opinion - has been submitted to Castle Point Council included a nursery and primary school, a residential care home a health care facility and access from Canvey Way. 

Concerns - Linda Shaw is campaigning against the plans on Jotman’s Farm (Image: Linda Shaw)

The application comes weeks after the site was one of 16 green belt locations included in the Castle Point draft local plan. 

Resident Linda Shaw, 61, said: “Over the years developers have tried to get their hands on Jotmans Farm. My community have fought hard in protecting against this.

“We don’t want houses or any kind of buildings to touch this precious green belt. It is important for this environment, birds, and the wildlife. To build on this land would be a tragedy, cause pollution, noise, congestion, crime and flooding, the list goes on. It would change Benfleet forever, and I for one will be forced to move away. It would be an awful place for me to live.”

Plans - Up to 850 homes has been proposed (Image: Linda Shaw)

The site is currently used for agricultural purposes for grazing animals. 

Andrew Sheldon, Essex County Council councillor for South Benfleet, said: “Developers have been after that site for decades and the fact that the independent run council, who promised to defend all green belt, left Jotmans as a potential development site in the local plan consultation, while removing other green belt sites, would have been like a red rag to a bull.

“Residents need to mobilise against development on that site now. This scoping request is about what should be in the Environmental Impact Report submitted by the developers. For some reason the council has not made it possible for the public to give public comments on this, or even let them know this planning application is coming.

"Residents will have the chance to object to any planning application later on, but the sooner the council allow residents to show the strength of local opposition to a 850 home development on the site, the better.”