A MASSIVE 269-home development on green belt land north of Laindon looks set to be approved.

If approved, the development will be built on a parcel of green belt land – identified for development in the now-defunct local plan – south of Dunton Road and just west of Kings Road.

Developer Bloor Homes has pledged 36 per cent of the 269 homes will be “affordable” and the development will boast 508 residential parking spaces along with 49 garages and 68 unallocated visitor parking bays.

Citing a planning inspectorate decision to overrule the council and approve 200 homes green belt land north of Kennel Lane last year, Basildon Council planning officers have recommended the Dunton Road scheme is approved at a meeting next week.

Crouch ward Conservative councillor Stuart Allen said: “I am in agreement with many of the residents who do not wish to see this massive development built as it will mean losing some of our green belt.

“Unfortunately, the land was allocated in the old local plan so it could be very difficult to stop it if it does in the end go to appeal.”

Council officers say the scheme, comprised of 30 one-bed flats, 77 two-bed homes, 108 three-homes and 54 four-bed homes, should be approved as “very special circumstance exist” to justify green belt development.

Planning documents note a “chronic current shortfall” in housing supply and affordable housing across the borough.

However, if approved, the plans would require the developer to make significant financial contributions to road infrastructure, transport links, education, and health provision.

Bloor Homes will be told to cough up £1,238,116 to mitigate its impact on primary school provision and £1,136,445 for secondary schools.

And Bloor will be told to stump up a further £1,000,000 to deliver sustainable transport to and from the site including High Road North cycleway enhancements and bus service enhancements along the Dunton Road Corridor.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust ICS has warned the nearby Noak Bridge, Aryan Medical Centre, Knights and Laindon GP surgeries “do not have capacity for the additional growth resulting from this development”.

A sum of £133,000 will be required to offset this, the NHS has advised.