THE chairman of Basildon Council's planning committee has been branded "disgraceful" after approving the first phase of the 725-home Dry Street estate in private.

Carole Morris has decided to approve the first 181 homes of the Dry Street development using delegated powers, rather than hold a vote at a meeting.

Mrs Morris claims both members of the public and fellow committee members “don’t understand” aspects of the planning process.

However, campaigners believe vital elements of the scheme, such as road layout and access routes, need to be clarified before construction starts.

Miriam Heppell, secretary of the Green Action Group, said: “It is disgraceful and it really is the thin end of the wedge.

“If it is signed off without going to committee, they could do it for any development.

“Given this is such a contentious one, they seem to be running scared.

“Of course it is within the chairman’s powers, but it really is not transparent.”

In an email to planning committee members, seen by the Echo, Mrs Morris said: “The public do not understand the differences between what can and what cannot be taken into consideration.”

Speaking to the Echo, she added: "This is not about whether the development is going to go ahead, because that has already been decided.

“The problem is, if it goes to committee, everyone is going to think they can talk about whether the development takes place.

“If all these things were debated again, it could jeopardise the whole process by discussing things which are not relevant.

“I emailed the committee and only got two responses about the reserved matters, so even the committee doesn’t seem to understand they can’t talk about the principle of it.

“It has been finalised and done as delegated, so it is going through.”

At the original outline application hearing in 2013, public interest in the development was so high that Basildon Council hired a conference room at the Holiday Inn, at Festival Leisure Park, to allow hundreds of people to attend.

Mrs Heppell said: “At that original meeting, we were promised we would get the chance to look at the detailed plans, and that this is only an outline application.

“The plan is different now to how it was presented in 2013.”

UNHAPPY planning committee members have threatened to call an extraordinary council meeting to ensure the application is decided in public.

During a public consultation, respondents voiced fears the development would cause added strain on the narrow Dry Street and the already-busy Nethermayne roundabout, near Basildon Hospital.

Tory councillor Mrs Morris chairs the planning committee, but six of its nine members belong the other political parties.

Phil Rackley, Green Party councillor for St Martin’s, said: “We are putting in a request for an extraordinary council meeting calling for the council to take the phase one application to the planning committee.

“There is a great deal of concern among members of the public and councillors - councillor Morris should be aware of that.

“We have got no overall control, so the council depends on co-operation. This is putting that at risk.

“We should have a vote on the reserved matters.

“The phase one application is very different to what was understood in the first place and it needs to be looked at.”

The Green Action Group has long opposed development at the site, arguing the area is home to important wildlife and should be designated an area of special interest.

The principle of the estate was approved in 2013, but developer Redrow needs detailed plans signed off before it can begin building work.

Approval of the first phase of the Dry Street development will trigger payments to help fund the building of a new South Essex College campus in Basildon town centre.

The existing campus, in Nethermayne, is being sold to Redrow as part of the scheme.

TIMELINE

1996: Land either side of Dry Street earmarked for housing by Essex County Council and Commission for New Towns.

1998: The site emerges in Basildon Council’s local plan as an area of “special reserve” for house building.

2004: A plan for 1,300 homes by English Partnerships, the predecessor of the Homes and Communities Agency, causes widespread anger in the town.

2006: The Echo launches its Save Dry Street campaign, backed by 10,000 readers, and English Partnerships abandons the scheme.

2011: Basildon Council and the HCA enter into talks about a 725-home development.

June 2013: Outline permission is granted by Basildon Council, despite 838 objection letters and a 5,000-signature petition.

October 2014: After raising more than £20,000 to fight its cause, the Green Action Group takes its case to the High Court in a bid to halt the development, but a judge throws out their request.

February 2015: The action group launches a new bid to have the land designated as a community asset.

June 2015: Formal plans for the first phase of the scheme are submitted by developers.

September 2015: Approval granted for the first 181 homes on the site.