Wickford will come to a standstill if 3,000 homes are built around the town, residents fear.

Hoardes of locals packed out Wickford Community Centre, in Market Road, on Saturday morning as Basildon Council’s latest incarnation of its Local Plan was put on display.

In total, land earmarked in the area includes space for 3,300 homes, with 64 per cent of them going on the green belt - but people say the town  is overdeveloped as it is.

However, the numbers have caused despair for locals, who say Wickford is barely coping at the moment, with a host of new developments increasing the pressure on roads, schools, and doctors, and even senior Tory councillors condemned the figures.

The Wickford Independents group had a stand at the front of the building, lobbying for support against the plans.

David Harrison, deputy leader of the group, and councillor for Wickford Park, said: “Wickford is creaking already.

“Unless there is major investment in the infrastructure, the situation is going to get much worse with this local plan.

“Have we any guarantee of new roads or are these a wish list? Everyone agrees we need a local plan to stop piecemeal development throughout the borough, however the proposed draft plan is flawed as outlined above.”

 

Echo:

The Wickford Independents had a stall in the building, too

The roadshow came to Wickford as part of a consultation on the latest draft of the local plan, after 2014’s incarnation was restarted.

It designates sites around the borough for some 15,000 homes over the next years, albeit with some sites that either have planning permission or are developed.

A planned new health centre on the site of the market has failed to appease locals, while the Echo reported earlier this month some 62,500 people are using Wickford Train station.

You can  read that story here.

The local plan suggests the A127, A130, and A132 coluld be upgraded, as could schools and health centres, but even Tory councillor Carole Morris, former chairman of the planning committee, admitted the numbers were high.

Mrs Morris, who will be defending her Wickford North seat in May, said: “Basildon’s increase from the local plan will be nine per cent. Billericay’s is five per cent. Wickford’s is going to be 11 per cent. How is that fair?

“We had to work together to get something together. Now, we can have a discussion on our own views on it.”

The Government has insisted that councils have their local plans approved by early 2017. Basildon Council has been trying to get one finalised for years.

Views from the exhibtion

Jean Ursell, 66, of Forth Avenue, Shotage, said: “The doctors surgeries are already full yet there is no extra planned for these new homes.

“And the London Road and the A127 are regularly jammed. Getting out of Wickford is absolutely abysmal.”

 

Roy Dell, 76, London Road, Wickford, said: “I’ve lived in Wickford for over 50 years.

“But the traffic is so bad. Traffic is all snarled up on the Nevendon Road and the other roads coming out of the town.

“It’s bumper to bumper, yet the want to put in more houses which will put more cars on the road?


Harry Paton, 67, Lennox Drive, The Wick estate, said: “It’s alright saying we need more houses, but there’s too many people living in Wickford at the moment.

“The problem is the Government is turning around and saying “give up more land.”

“Getting off some roundabouts, particularly the one at The Wick, is a nightmare.”


Brian Pash, 63, Guernsey Gardens, Wickford, said: “Wickford has grown over the years. Even at the moment, there are a lot of people coming here.

“It’s gridlock in the evenings and at rush-hour, and the infrastructure isn’t coping at the moment.

“There are more cars than ever before in Wickford, and now they want to build additional homes.”


Kenneth James, 79, Castledon Road, Wickford,  said: “I’ve come down to see what and where these houses are proposed.

“There’s not a lot of land near me that is available, unless they Compulsory Purchase Order it.

“I’ve got my own home, and I appreciate we need more homes.”

The numbers:

Green Belt homes – 2,100 (64 per cent of the total)
- 870 south of Cranfield Park Road
- 400 off Southend Road, Shotgate
- 420 east and south of Barn Hall
- 250 north of London Road
- 160 south of London Road

Already with planning permission – 908 homes (27.5 per cent of the total)

Within the urban area of Wickford – 292 homes (8.8 per cent of total)