A former Southend MP has written to a south Essex council pleading with them to protect historic Salvation Army farmland.

Anna Firth, former Conservative MP for Southend West and Leigh, has penned the letter to Castle Point Council’s CEO to express her concern over the farmland after it was included in the council's consultation on potential local plan sites. 

She called the area a “much-needed green lung” which separates the towns of Hadleigh and Leigh, a wildlife haven, and cherished beauty spot for residents.

Green lung - Ms Firth called the area a green lung Green lung - Ms Firth called the area a green lung (Image: Anna Firth)

Ms Firth added losing any part of the farmland would be a “travesty” and believes it could have longstanding consequences for the county’s green belt if development were to take place.

She said: “I am writing to register my profound concern and total opposition to any development on the Salvation Army Hadleigh Farmland or to it forming any part of the Castle Point Local Plan.

“Losing any part of this historic landscape would be a local and national travesty. It would drive a coach and horses through our Green Belt protections, and it would send a national shockwave through the planning system that Green Belt land in Essex is ‘up for grabs.’ It should be removed at the earliest possible opportunity.

Campaign sign - Residents have been campaigning against potential development at the siteCampaign sign - Residents have been campaigning against potential development at the site (Image: Archive)

“Residents are quite rightly concerned that local services: schools, GPs, hospitals, dental services, as well as local infrastructure, the road network and our sewage system.

“All my life I have enjoyed the view across the Salvation Army fields. We owe it to future generations to hand over a natural environment which is the same, if not better, than that which we inherited.

“This precious site is part of our Essex heritage and must be protected.”

Ms Firth added she wants the land to be protected and “kept permanently open” for future generations, like it had been for her, her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.

She said under the National Planning Policy Framework, it has been made clear that Green Belt land cannot form and part of a local plan except in “fully evidenced” and “fully justified” circumstances.

She has been joined in her opposition against any potential development plans for the site by Southend West and Leigh Labour MP, David Burton-Sampson, and Castle Point Conservative MP, Rebecca Harris.

More than 7,000 people have signed a petition while hundreds of homes in Hadleigh and parts of Leigh are now displaying bright red posters stating ‘Say No! Save Hadleigh Farmland’.