Local Plan is ‘Devastating’

AN MP has described as “devastating” the news that Green Belt sites across Castle Point could once again come under consideration for housing in the borough’s Local Plan.

Planning inspectors have found Castle Point’s emerging Local Plan “unsound”, asking the council to consider further Green Belt releases and housing allocations to bring provision closer to Government targets.

Coun Warren Gibson, Deputy Leader of Castle Point Borough Council, said: “We are extremely disappointed.

“Castle Point has a number of unique circumstances and constraints which significantly restrict the number of homes that can be built.

“Those constraints are not just our Green Belt, but also important wildlife sites, community infrastructure capacity, overcrowded roads and ever diminishing bus services.”

He said the council had spent four years preparing its plan and presenting evidence that the borough could not sustainably accommodate the level of housing growth sought by the Government.

He added that the administration had prioritised brownfield development rather than Green Belt releases.

“Allocating Green Belt land would have been the easy option, but was not the right option, as our evidence has demonstrated.

“This Council is not anti-development, but wants to ensure that homes are built that are genuinely needed for local people, in locations that are sustainable, and of a type that meets local needs.”

Coun Tim Copsey, Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning, said: “Our focus remains on doing what is right for Castle Point, our residents, businesses and the environment.”

Conservative Castle Point MP Dame Rebecca Harris said: “This is utterly devastating.

“This is exactly the outcome I repeatedly warned the council would face if it continued down the wrong path.

“The inspectors have made it clear that the council’s defence of our green belt was simply not strong enough.

“Now treasured green spaces including Jotmans Farm, Glebelands, Dutch Village, The Chase and Hadleigh Farm are back in danger.”

The campaign group Save Hadleigh Farmland described the news as “a disaster.”

Martin England, head of Save Hadleigh Farmland, said: “Our Save Hadleigh Farmland group have continually warned our councillors about this outcome, because submitting a weak plan, with weak evidence, that was predetermined, would only end like this.”

The council said it would seek further advice before setting out its next steps.

Picture: Campaigners are devastated by the news. Pic SHF

Read more

Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news

Contact us. Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news

Twitter: @leighonsea_news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighonsea.news