Homes coming to a field near you? (From Echo)

Homes coming to a field near you?

1:54pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News

THE Echo can today reveal the swathes of green belt land which could be built on across Basildon. Council officers have drawn up a list of sites where homes could go to meet projected population rises by 2031. It comes after the council launched a public consultation over the number of new homes needed over the next 20 years. The council would prefer not to build on green belt, but has had to draw up where it would build if necessary. Sites vary from just one house on land between Lee Chapel Lane and High Banks, Langdon Hills, to up to 2,275 over 291 acres of green belt off Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford. The list includes the controversial 127 acres of green belt at Little Chalvedon Hall, off Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford, bought by Nottinghamshire County Council last January for £4.2million, where it wants to build 1,300 homes as a pension fund investment. A public backlash has led to a promise from council leader Tony Ball it would not be built on for at least 20 years. Mr Ball said: “The fact a site is in the list does not mean it will be developed. “This is not a policy document, but something all councils have to do. “Our preferred option is for no green belt development.” Officers whittled down from 480 to 78 possible development sites submitted by landowners and developers for consideration from 2007. Residents are being consulted over three house building targets, but the council has said its preferred option is 6,500 homes being built with none in the green belt. But residents are being asked to consider a second option of 10,100 homes with 3,300 in the green belt and a third, more radical plan, of 21,600 homes with 14,100 on green belt.