CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 23 homes on a much-loved Laindon park have been withdrawn.

Basildon Council withdrew the outline planning application yesterday, which will delight more than 1,000 residents who petitioned to save the site, off Pound Lane.

Leader of the council Tony Ball said scaled-back proposals will now be drawn-up.

However, these will only involve homes being built in place of the community centre and car park on the outskirts of the park, rather than a large section of the playing fields as was previously planned.

Leader of the residents’ campaign to save the park, Terry Adams, 73, of Elverston Close, Laindon, said: “It’s really good news the council has withdrawn the application. However, I still think this area needs a community hall. “It used to be well-used and I think the council ran it down on purpose, to give it an excuse to demolish it.” The council’s Tory leaders withdrew the application in response to an objection from Laindon Park’s Conservative councillor, John Dornan. He pointed out councillors only agreed to build over the community centre and car park, and not the playing fields, when the issue was first voted on a year ago. Mr Dornan said: “We only agreed to build on the community hall and I would never have supported putting houses up over the playing fields. “I’m fine with the community centre and car park going, as they have attracted antisocial behaviour.” Mr Ball said: “The application has been withdrawn and we are going to go back to what was proposed in July 2009. The council still plans to sell playing fields off Kent View Road, Vange, and Felmores, Pitsea, to fund the £38million Sporting Village and Olympic-sized pool, in Gloucester Park. Mr Ball said: “We have to sell the other fields, because that is the only way able to fund this important scheme. “The old pool is out of date and will have to close, so children will have no-where to learn to swim without the Sporting Village.”