Green belt land in Thurrock threatened

Swathes of countryside could be torn up to make way for up to 3,000 new homes.

The release of green belt land for development is one option being considered by Thurrock Council to meet strict housing targets imposed by the Government.

It means that a total of 18,500 homes would have to be built in the borough by 2021. Thurrock Council has already built 3,500 homes of the 18,500 target and committed to build 7,200 properties.

But residents are now being urged to help shape the planning blueprint being drawn up by the council.

The four development options set out in the document are:

* Option One – development of 300 new homes on green belt land although sites have yet to be identified. A further 7,500 properties on Brown Field land in existing built-up areas including Aveley, Chadwell. Purfleet, Grays, South Ockendon and Stanford.

* Option Two: building of between 2,000 and 3,000 homes on the Green Belt land around the outskirts of Grays, and between 4,800 and 5,800 homes to be built on the same brown field sites in option one.

* Option Three: development of up to 3,000 homes on the Green Belt, between West Horndon and Bulphan and sites including South Ockendon, East Tilbury and Stanford-le-Hope. Also, a minimum of 4,800 properties in the same existing urban areas as in option one and two.

* Option Four: up to 3,000 homes on the green belt with developments split between the same green sites as in option one and the outskirts of Grays as in option two, and around 4,800 homes on existing urban areas.

The news that up to 3,000 could be built on the Green Belt has angered the south Essex Green Party.

Ernie Humphries, a spokesman for the group, said: “We are totally against the building of new homes on the Green Belt and think it is crazy.

“The massive increase in housing will increase the risk of flooding in this area and just lead to more people, more crime and more congestion leaving us with none of the Green Belt.”

But council bosses stressed that the four options were just ideas and not proposals.

Residents have until Friday, September 1 to comment on the Local Development Framework, which can be found the consultations heading on the council’s website at www.thurrock.gov.uk

Council representatives will also be making presentations to the borough’s community forums.

A spokesman for the authority was not available at the time of going to press.

Date: 21st July 2006
Source: IC Essex