3:26pm Thursday 17th January 2008
By Jon Austin
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to stop a beauty spot being turned into a housing estate have suffered a setback.
Developer Gleeson Homes has appealed to the Government because the council has failed to decide its Barn Hall application in time.
The firm wants to build a housing estate on the 100-acre site in Wickford and submitted plans for more than 200 homes last June.
The council failed to take a vote within the official time limit - 13 weeks - and now Gleeson has appealed on grounds of non-determination.
Deputy council leader Tony Ball has branded the move "arrogant".
He said: "Although we have missed the deadline, we have made it clear it will be voted over soon."
Council leader Malcolm Buckley accepted Gleeson was within its rights, but said the council's development control committee could not have considered the plan as all information was not yet available.
He said: "We will not make a wrong decision because a greedy developer wants to build an unwanted housing estate on land the council believes should be designated green belt."
More than 1,000 people have backed a campaign against the development on land designated for housing, which the council hopes to return to green belt.
But residents now fear the worst. Jacqueline Boyns, from Station Avenue, opposite Barn Hall, set up Wickford North Green Action Group with husband Peter.
She said: "This is obviously a big worry.
"It needs to go before the planning committee and we still cannot get a date from the council.
"I suppose Gleeson is within its rights.
"The concern is that non-determination is a real ground for appeal and because Basildon is not hitting its housebuilding targets the appeal could be successful."
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