GREEN belt land in south Essex could be spared from thousands of homes being built after a senior planning inspector said it was a matter for local councils to decide.

Keith Holland, an inspector for the department for communities and local government, is shown on video telling Castle Point councillors they would not be forced into releasing green belt to meet housing targets.

His assurance, made in a video leaked to the Echo, is at odds with what Castle Point, Basildon and Rochford councils have told residents while they prepared local development plans for the next 20 years.

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