A TOP Tory has promised his party will protect Castle Point’s green belt from development – by encouraging better use of brownfield sites.

The former Tory leader made the pledge on Canvey at the unveiling of the party’s new planning policy.

Mr Hague said small developments on sites which had been previously developed would meet the borough’s housing needs and protect the green belt.

He said if the Conservatives won on May 7, they would allow local people to set local housing targets and choose development sites, instead of having them imposed by Whitehall.

Green belt development plans have been a major issue in the borough for years, with residents trying to fight off a series of applications from housebuilders.

Mr Hague said: “There are a lot of key parts of the green belt around this area that are under threat.

“This election is very important for the green belt, because the previous Labour government had regional policies, under which developments were forced on the area.”

Mr Hague claimed a future Labour government would do something similar and were already talking about councils being able to “dump” housing on neighbouring areas.

He added: “Conservatives would protect the green belt.

Rebecca Harris and local councillors have been working hard to do that here.”

Campaigners have staunchly opposed plans to build 265 homes on a 35-acre site south of Jotmans Lane, Benfleet, and a further 140 at Glebelands, Thundersley.

A Government planning inspector is due rule on both schemes in September.

Standing amid 64 acres of green belt land owned by developer Persimmon Homes, Mr Hague, said the new policy would involve smaller schemes which were more likely to provide houses.

He said: “We need the involvement of local people to use whatever brownfield sites are available for smaller developments.

“It’s often the smaller developments that get built when you need them.

“Often, bigger ones don’t get built, because they can falter when there are changes in the economic climate.”

However, Jamie Huntman, Ukip’s candidate in Castle Point, claimed Tory policies were to blame for the current focus on green belt sites.

He added: “London is expanding eastwards. You can’t get away from the fact that because of the pressure of immigration, a new home has to be built every seven minutes.”

Green candidate Dom Ellis commented: “The general consensus of the Green Party is London and the south East is already overpopulated."