Over 300 residents turn up to have their say on plans to build homes on Billericay greenbelt MORE than 300 residents turned out to have their say on plans to build homes on greenbelt land in Billericay. As reported previously in the Enquirer, Billericay Town Council were forced to reschedule after the meeting on Thursday, 6 March descended into chaos and police were called as hundreds turned up to have their say on Basildon Council’s Draft Local Plan. On Wednesday, 19 March a number of residents were still turned away by council bouncers as 300 people crammed into the Mayflower School’s hall. The Town Council considered its response to Basildon Council’s Draft Local Plan which could see 2,300 homes built on Billericay’s greenbelt to the south east of the town. The meeting heard impassioned pleas from 12 residents to ‘say no’ to the draft plan with many outlining the plans go against the very nature of the greenbelt, would result in urban sprawl and would create pressure on local infrastructure including schools, roads and railways that the town cannot handle. Resident mike Andrews joked: “We will have to tell the newcomers not to go up the High Street as it’s a bit crowded!” Fred Bashford, echoed these sentiments saying the area is highly populated and a flood risk. He added: “Perhaps quality of life should be measured against the need for expansion.” Keith McCarthy has lived on Outwood Common Road for 26 years and says the draft plan would see houses built in his backyard. He said: “Our rural town would become an urban sprawl, if the land is developed our neighbours and I might lose our homes to a compulsory purchase order as they apparently need an access road for the field. Billericay Town Council needs to be brave and oppose the plans. The development plan will become a scar on our community.” Following a vote, the town council removed from its response any acceptance of proposed development on the land at Outwood Common and Outwood Farm Road and called for another consultation in Billericay West ward. The motion was carried 8-2. In total, Basildon Council’s Draft Local Plan has allowed for over 12,000 new homes to be built across Basildon, including Billericay and Wickford, over the next 18 years. Of this, 9,100 could be built on land that is currently greenbelt and 3,425 in urban areas. Approximately 63 per cent of the Basildon District is countryside set within the greenbelt. If these plans go ahead, the Borough could see a seven per cent loss of greenbelt land. The local plan which needs to work within specific central government guidelines sets out planning framework for the Borough for the next 20 years that will see 16,000 new homes built as well as considerable commercial development leading to over 8,500 new jobs and significant new infrastructure for Basildon. Residents have until 1 April to comment on the plan before consultation comes to a close. To find out more about the Draft Local Plan visit: basildon.gov.uk/basildon2031.d Date Published: March 20, 2014 Story by Katie MansfieldLeave a comment
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:57:40 +0000
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