A PARISH council has launched a fierce attack on plans for 850 new homes in the west of Rayleigh over the next 14 years.

Rochford District Council has earmarked 200 homes for part of an industrial estate and a further 650 on farmland, both of which are in the parish of Rawreth.

Rawreth Parish Council has now written to colleagues on Rochford District Council insisting the new homes would put too much pressure on schools, health centres and roads.

In a letter to district councillors, Hayley Bloomfield, Rawreth Parish Council clerk, said: “Rawreth is the gateway to the Rochford district and this allocation of 650 houses has been put forward for an area of the highest quality farmland, coupled with a further 200 houses on an area of land currently used as an industrial site.

“The parish of Rawreth does not have the infrastructure to cope with any more development.

“Rawreth and the western side of Rayleigh has already seen vast expansion in recent years, which has placed a huge strain on the existing roads, schools, doctors and amenities.

“Rawreth Lane is regularly at a standstill, yet this would provide one of the main routes into both the proposed developments.”

Mrs Bloomfield said the parish council strongly opposed development of this type in the village and felt a figure of 40 new homes would be a fairer one for consideration.

At a special meeting of Rochford council to discuss the plans, Lib Dem councillors for Downhall and Rawreth also expressed their concerns.

Chris Black said he felt Rayleigh could live with 800 new homes as a reasonable allocation, but he was unhappy about the proposed site in Rawreth.

He believed more consideration should be given to the siting of the new homes.

Ron Oatham added he was surprised and disappointed to discover the 200 homes proposed for the industrial site had been listed separately.

He said people had believed at first a total of 650 new homes would be built on the two sites.

Joan Mockford (Con, Sweyne Park) said she was concerned about the transport infrastructure within the Rayleigh and Rawreth area to cope with the homes.

She said: “We know we have an ageing population, but there are parts of Rayleigh and Rawreth which have been left with virtually no bus services.”

Members of the council agreed, with four votes against, to go to public consultation about this local development framework.