A LEAKED letter revealing Tory house-building plans has given fresh hope to green belt campaigners across Castle Point.

The document, written by shadow communities minister Caroline Spelman to Conservative-run councils, indicates a Tory government would scrap Labour’s house building targets.

Published in Sunday’s Observer, the letter states new Conservative policy would “revoke in whole or in part” Labour’s regional development targets.

This, writes Spelman, will “put the brakes on elements of regional spatial strategies that local authorities find undesirable”.

Castle Point Council is currently required to build 5,000 new homes by 2026, and the authority is considering a number of green belt sites in the borough to meet that target.

Norman Smith, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said the council hoped the number would be reduced if the Tories came to power.

He said: “All we know is the Tories will conduct a review if they win the next election.

“I would like to see a reduction in the number of new homes under a Conservative government, but until that change is in place we’ll continue to work within the existing structure.”

One of the sites currently being considered by the council is 18 acres of green space on Canvey, between Cornelius Vermuyden School and the Dutch Village.

Graham Bracci, chairman of the Canvey Green Belt Campaign, welcomed the change in Tory policy.

He said: “It gives us some hope.

“It makes sense the Conservatives want to build less in the South East because that’s where they get most of their votes.”

At the end of September, Castle Point Council will vote on the Local Development Framework, which outlines where new homes will be built in the borough.

However, with the house building not scheduled to be completed until 2026, there is plenty of time for the plans to change if the Tories win the next election.