A £20MILLION housing plan in the heart of Basildon has been given the final seal of approval.

An extra 100 houses on Gloucester Park have been given the go-ahead, bringing the total number of homes on the new Acacia Park estate to 244.

For the first time, images and cost of the boulevard – which will run across The Broadway from the town centre’s Bell Tower to Gloucester Park – can be revealed, with councillors claiming it will “transform” the area.

Tory Malcolm Buckley, Basildon councillor responsible for regeneration, said: “This project will also allow for an attractive new green link from the town centre right into the park, offering residents an alternative access to the park, other than the two current subways.

“This green link will not only be more convenient, it will completely transform and improve how this area looks at the current time.”

Yet the plans have been slammed by campaigners and opposition councillors, who have mourned the loss of part of the park.

It was sold off in 2011 to Barratt Homes for £4million in a deal to help fund the £38million Sporting Village, at the other end of the park.

But Mr Buckley added: “I understand there has been some opposition to this, but by the end of this, Barratt’s will have delivered much needed family housing on a largely brownfield site.”

The homes in this plan will be a mixture of two, three, and four-bedroom houses, as well as apartments.

Instead of offering affordable housing, cash from the development will instead be spent on the town centre, with Acacia Park forming a key part of the Basildon town centre masterplan.

Peter Biggs, head of planning at Barratts, said: “Phase one of the development has been hugely successful to date delivering a number of benefits locally.

“The second and final phase will provide further benefits to the town including additional park improvement work and enhanced town centre links.”

Independent Labour councillor Phil Rackley is not in favour. He said: “I’m not convinced the boulevard is all that because if they were really serious about it they’d put a raised bridge link above the road.

“It just looks like a set of traffic islands, albeit with some nice greenery.”