GREEN belt campaigners have been assured new development plans for Castle Point will be drawn up from scratch.

Castle Point Council leader Pam Challis confirmed planners would be starting with a clean slate with the new local development framework, setting out sites where homes could be built over the next 15 years.

The announcement came after the council was forced to scrap controversial plans to allow 3,500 homes on green belt land, in the face of overwhelming opposition from residents and some councillors. Mrs Challis broke the news at a private meeting between councillors and Benfleet green belt campaigners on Tuesday.

When he came out of the meeting, campaigner Ian Harding, 47, of Elmhurst Avenue, Benfleet, said: “This is a small step towards rebuilding trust between the council and its constituents.

“I think the majority of those who attended were encouraged by the openness of the council.”

The council invited campaigners in Daws Heath, Benfleet, Canvey and Thundersley, to meet councillors and planning officers to discuss possible brownfield sites which might be used to meet the area’s housing need.

The council spent four years and £500,000 drawing up its previous housing strategy, which was abandoned two months ago.

Alf Partridge, councillor for St Mary’s ward, said: “I hope the council has learned its lesson, because this whole situation has been a huge embarrassment to us all.

“In the old days, every member, from the bottom to the top of the council, knew exactly what was going on.

“Nowadays a select few make the decisions and that is no way to run a council.

“It will take a long time to really cement the relationship between the council and residents again, but we hope this meeting is a step in the right direction.”

Councillors are now encouraging residents to come forward and suggest brownfield sites which could be used for housing, to take the pressure off green belt land.