Richard Holden, Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay, has written an open letter highlighting a series of concerns and claiming the plan has been designed “to meet national targets”, not the need of residents. Fighting – Mr Holden says he is yet to meet a resident in favour of the plan (Image: Yui Mok)
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In his letter, Mr Holden said his concern was based on “overwhelming opposition to both the basis of and volume of properties within the local plan.”
The 27,111-home draft plan covers the entire Basildon borough and includes 16,928 homes on green belt land. Mr Holden said: “The overwhelming feeling local people have expressed to me is this local plan is something being progressed by Basildon Council, on the back of pressure from central Government, to satisfy the new Government, rather than address local concerns.
Proposals – The council’s offices have seen plenty of raucous meetings on the local plan (Image: George Pizani)“With a large majority of the properties being proposed on green belt land and the proposal meaning the irreversible destruction and merging of the towns and villages of Basildon Borough, it is hardly surprising this is causing such outrage.”
Basildon Council’s local plan, for which the public consultation phase ended on Sunday, will guide its development over the next 20 years.
Leader – Mr Holden has called on Basildon’s Council Leader to agree to a meeting (Image: George Pizani)Mr Holden added: “I am yet to find anyone who is not proposing it who will offer it their wholehearted or even ‘on balance’ support, as this local plan is so unbalanced.”
Among the reasons for Mr Holden’s opposition to the proposals are concern around additional pressure put on existing infrastructure, damage to the green belt and a lack of “future-proofing” against potential changes associated with devolution.
In his letter, Mr Holden also criticised Basildon Council’s Labour leader, Gavin Callaghan, for avoiding a face-to-face meeting with the MP.
He says three appointments made with Mr Callaghan have been cancelled at short notice.
A council spokesman said: “We are grateful to all who took part in the Regulation 18 consultation on the draft local plan for Basildon Borough. We received more than 9,000 comments and contributions. All responses will be fully reviewed and a statement of consultation will be provided for members to review at Cabinet.”