FRESH plans for 300 homes on green belt land in Basildon have been unveiled - just days after the council published its 27,000-home draft local plan.

Developers have submitted the first stage of a planning application, before publishing full in-depth plans, to build hundreds of homes on open space next to Wash Road.

The plans state up to 300 homes would be included in ‘phase one’, hinting that further applications could be published in the future if approved.

It comes just days after the council published a list of potential sites to be included in the 27,111 home draft local plan.

The draft plan, which will be debated by councillors today, will identify where thousands of homes will be built over the next 20 years.

Andrew Baggott, Conservative councillor for the Burstead ward, said: “It is really sad for the borough.

“What we have seen is this administration is the developers’ friends.

“We were quite strong in administration and resisted the government figures, stating that one size fits all does not work.

“We worked with the MP to challenge the government on their figures.”

The latest application also includes proposals for large areas of landscaping and open space, improvement works to the public highway along Wash Road, and all necessary related infrastructure.

“The amount of housing will be unsustainable, especially without infrastructure,” Mr Baggot added.

“We will now see more and more applications like this going in, and less attention to infrastructure.

“This will cause more and more pressure on services.

Roads are already clogged.

“We must demand infrastructure first or we will see more and more developments like this.

“But it seems like with this draft plan they have given up and thrown the towel in. It is sad.”

The application for up to 300 homes states that it will also include ‘community facilities’ and a ‘playground’.

Basildon Council will discuss the draft local plan at a meeting next week, as it looks to meet the government’s targets until 2043.