Controversial plans drawn up for almost 150 new homes on south Essex green belt

Matthew Critchell, Local Democracy Reporter

4 July 2024 at 2:00 pm·2-min read

Concern - Jeff Henry called for open space to be protected <i>(Image: Google / Basildon Council)</i> — Concern - Jeff Henry called for open space to be protected *(Image: Google / Basildon Council)*

PLANS have been drawn up for almost 150 new homes on green belt land on the edge of Basildon.. despite previous proposals being thrown out.

Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd is behind the proposals for 146 new homes on land off Dunton Road, Dunton.

The plans say a total of 40 per cent of the development will be affordable housing and include a mixture of two, three and four bedroom homes.

Jeff Henry, Tory county councillor for Laindon Park and Fryerns, called for the open space to be protected and questioned if there are “specialist circumstances” to justify it being built on.

He said: “This site has come up and it’s been turned down. The issue remains about it being green belt land, and it should be protected.

“I do not think there is the infrastructure for this in the area.

“We do need special circumstances for using green belt like this and I don’t think we have those here. There is a difficult balance between protecting green belt land and addressing the housing need.”

The main access to the development for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles is on West Mayne, with a new road junction proposed as part of the development.

If agreed the development would have two leafy, green spaces for the residents of the new homes, including a playground which is designed for all ages with a range of play opportunities.

A design and access statement prepared by JNC Design and Planning, on behalf of Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd, states: “The application for planning permission to create 146 new homes demonstrates that the proposed scheme will ensure that the new homes and their landscaped setting creates an appropriate character for the growth of Basildon to the west.

“The proposal addresses the three overarching objectives of the planning system, using land that is available for development to deliver a residential scheme that will meet the needs of present and future generations and support a strong and vibrant community, supporting economic growth by creating new homes to facilitate local employment, and contributing to enhancing the natural environment by delivering a biodiversity net gain within a scheme that mitigates and adapts to climate change.”

Echo
WATCH: Nigel Farage congratulates new Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock
After a recount, Reform UK won the Basildon South and East Thurrock constituency with a majority of just 98 votes
Echo
New Labour councillor vows to 'help Basildon exit county council' after by-election
Emma Callaghan has been elected as a new councillor to Essex County Council in the Pitsea by-election.
Echo
Mixed weather expected for Southend and Basildon ahead of 'heatwave'
Despite earlier hopes for a July heatwave, the Met Office forecast indicates that south Essex will experience more moderate temperatures this weekend.
Echo
Meet the adorable pups of the week at Basildon's Dogs Trust in need of new homes
Here are the four adorable pups of the week at Basildon's Dogs Trust in need of loving forever homes
Sky News
Hippopotamuses can become airborne for substantial periods of time, researchers discover
Hippopotamuses can become airborne for substantial periods of time, according to new research into the mammals. Research by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found that the animals can be up in the air for up to 0.3 seconds at a time when moving fast. The findings found that unlike other land animals such as elephants, horses and rhinos, hippos exclusively trot when moving, pushing the limits of what giant land animals can do, the RVC said.
CNN
Death Valley sets a new daily record with a searing 128 degrees as West Coast heat wave drags on
Extremely dangerous heat is dragging on in the West along with heat and humidity in the eastern US.
CNN
A ‘potentially historic’ heat wave intensifies along the West Coast, as dangerous wildfires spread
An extremely dangerous, unusually long heat wave is intensifying and spreading up the West Coast – and there will be no relief for days.
Colchester Evening Gazette
Here is every adorable baby animal born at Colchester Zoo so far this year
Take a look at the round up of cuteness from Colchester Zoo's births this year. Every single one is a beauty.
Associated Press
Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength
Beryl was hurtling across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with Texas, forecast to pick up strength and regain hurricane status before nearing the coast Sunday and making landfall the following day with heavy rains, howling winds and dangerous storm surge. A hurricane warning was declared for a large stretch of the coast from Baffin Bay, south of Corpus Christi, to Sargent, south of Houston, and storm surge warnings were also in effect. Other parts were under tropical storm warnings.
The Independent
Mapped: Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Mexico as Category 2 storm
Hurricane Beryl could make a ‘rare’ double strike in Mexico and potentially impact southeastern United States
Associated Press
Grenada minister tells UN: hurricane-devastated Islands need anything for `a human being to survive'
The minister for the two islands in Grenada that Hurricane Beryl first slammed into with catastrophic winds had a simple message for U.N. and other humanitarian officials who asked what was needed: “Anything that would allow a human being to survive.” Tevin Andrews, who was in the devastated island of Carriacou Friday where Beryl first made landfall as the earliest category 4 storm in the Atlantic, also said when asked whether there was flat space for humanitarian workers to set up tents: “The whole island is flat.” Simon Springett, the top U.N. humanitarian official for the eastern Caribbean and Barbados, who listened to Andrews’ call and relayed his remarks to U.N. correspondents said he didn’t want to sound over-dramatic, “but the islands were really dramatically, catastrophically, catastrophically hit.”
Euronews
Russian strikes leave thousands in northern Ukraine without power and water
The northern Sumy region, which borders Russia, was plunged into dark after Russian strikes late Friday damaged energy infrastructure, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said. Hours later, the Ukrainian public broadcaster reported that Russian drones hit the provincial capital, also called Sumy, cutting
Associated Press
Survival story as Hurricane Beryl razes smallest inhabited island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Mayreu is one of the smallest inhabited islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Hurricane Beryl nearly erased it from the map. “Everything was flying all over the place," Mayreau resident James Alexander said recalling the storm, “I saw a tank full of water lifted up and swirl in the air."
South Wales Argus
No plan to reopen woods that were closed after children created bike park
Steps need to be taken before woodland can be reopened, say housing chiefs.
Storyful
Family Left Scrambling to 'Race Away' From Disastrous Flooding of Their Lakeside Neighborhood
A North Sioux City homeowner has described how he and his wife “abandoning our pool day with the kids” and “scrambled” to “race away” from rapidly rising water as their street was inundated during a flood-mitigation measure.Video sent to Storyful by Malcolm Speichinger shows just how a peaceful Sunday by McCook Lake turned into a domestic disaster as deep floodwaters inundated his street in a matter of minutes.Speaking to local media days after the June 23 flood, Speichinger said his home was “still standing” but with some “pretty bad structural damage”.According to the Sioux City Journal the flooding came as a result of a mitigation plan after days of heavy rain. The plan involved an emergency levee, the Journal said, “designed to protect North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes by diverting water through a waterway and into McCook Lake.”The plan has “come under criticism by many McCook Lake residents, some of whom said their homes were sacrificed for North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes,” the Journal said.KTIV said 20 homes locally were listed as a total loss after the flood. Credit: Malcolm Speichinger via Storyful
The Guardian
‘People are incandescent…’ How sewage spills became a vote-winner for the Lib Dems
Polluted chalk streams in England’s South Downs infuriated voters in Chichester, a seat that had been Conservative for a century
CBC
N.B. invasive species council raises alarm over harmful rose
The New Brunswick Invasive Species Council is raising awareness about a rose species that's harming native trees and plants in the province.Kristin Elton, executive director of the council, told CBC Radio's Shift that multiflora rose bushes will grow onto other species and nearby vegetation, suffocating them and competing with them for resources."That's where we see the issues," she said. "It has these really tall canning structures that kind of come up and fountain out and over. When there is s
Associated Press Videos
Ancient tree from India may replace petroleum, company hopes
An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy as a petroleum-alternative. (AP Video: Daniel Kozin)
Associated Press
North Dakota tribe goes back to its roots with a massive greenhouse operation
A Native American tribe in North Dakota will soon grow lettuce in a giant greenhouse complex that when fully completed will be among the country's largest, enabling the tribe to grow much of its own food decades after a federal dam flooded the land where they had cultivated corn, beans and other crops for millennia. Work is ongoing on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation's 3.3-acre (1.3-hectare) greenhouse that will make up most of the Native Green Grow operation's initial phase. “We’re the first farmers of this land," Tribal Chairman Mark Fox said.
The Bolton News
Council workers clear the country's 'most dangerous plant' from river valley
A resident has raised concerns that children could be hurt by giant hogweed at Moses Gate County Park.

Tony Blair issues warning to Keir Starmer on immigration and 'wokeism'

Controversial plans drawn up for almost 150 new homes on south Essex green belt

Latest stories

WATCH: Nigel Farage congratulates new Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock

New Labour councillor vows to 'help Basildon exit county council' after by-election

Mixed weather expected for Southend and Basildon ahead of 'heatwave'

Meet the adorable pups of the week at Basildon's Dogs Trust in need of new homes

Hippopotamuses can become airborne for substantial periods of time, researchers discover

Death Valley sets a new daily record with a searing 128 degrees as West Coast heat wave drags on

A ‘potentially historic’ heat wave intensifies along the West Coast, as dangerous wildfires spread

Here is every adorable baby animal born at Colchester Zoo so far this year

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength

Mapped: Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Mexico as Category 2 storm

Grenada minister tells UN: hurricane-devastated Islands need anything for `a human being to survive'

Russian strikes leave thousands in northern Ukraine without power and water

Survival story as Hurricane Beryl razes smallest inhabited island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

No plan to reopen woods that were closed after children created bike park

Family Left Scrambling to 'Race Away' From Disastrous Flooding of Their Lakeside Neighborhood

‘People are incandescent…’ How sewage spills became a vote-winner for the Lib Dems

N.B. invasive species council raises alarm over harmful rose

Ancient tree from India may replace petroleum, company hopes

North Dakota tribe goes back to its roots with a massive greenhouse operation

Council workers clear the country's 'most dangerous plant' from river valley