Dame Rebecca Harris, Tory MP for Castle Point, has backed the council and urged the planning inspectorate to throw out Countryside Partnership’s bid to build on green belt on Brook Farm, in Daws Heath, Thundersley.
The plans were initially thrown out by the council last year after residents rallied against the plans and submitted more than 900 objections.
On the first day of hearing, on Wednesday, Dame Rebecca accused the developer of a land grab to take advantage of Castle Point’s lack of local plan.
Controversial – Plans for 173 homes on Brook Farm (Image: This Land)
Castle Point is preparing to publish its draft local plan for 13,700 homes after holding a consultation with residents last year.
Describing the plans Dame Rebecca said: “This is an opportunistic land grab by developers who know that councillors have committed to saving green belt sites like this in their draft local plan, which I understand they are still planning to release in a matter of weeks.
“I was pleased to stand with residents and local councillors in opposition to this opportunistic attempt at land grabbing by developers and I sincerely hope the planning inspector dismisses this appeal.”
In the meeting, Dame Rebecca accused developers on taking advantage of the council not having a published local plan.
At the meeting, she said: “Sir, looking at the timing of the appeal it is clear to me that the appellant is looking to exploit the fact that while the council do not have a published draft local plan in place that can be afforded legal weight in planning appeals, they are vulnerable to piecemeal speculative development on the green belt.”
People’s Independent Party Tim Copsey noted at the meeting that 965 residents raised objections before the council dismissed the proposals.
He said: “I see it as a classic example of green belt preventing urban sprawl, stopping communities merging, it safeguards the Daws Heath countryside from encroachment and it preserves the unique character of the Daws Heath area.”