PLANS for thousands of new homes across Roch-ford and Rayleigh will go to a special meeting of the full council tomorrow night.

The plans are for 2,400 homes to be built in the district up to 2021.

Tory members of Rochford District Council were due to meet behind closed doors last night to decide whether or not they will back the core development strategy.

The plans will go to a special meeting of the full council tomorrow, and if agreed they will then go to a public inquiry, to be held at a later date.

Liberal Democrat and Independent members of the council are expected to oppose the plans, because of the volume of housing involved, particularly what is proposed for Rayleigh, Rawreth and Hawkwell.

Keith Hudson, councillor responsible for planning, said: “I think the vast majority of the strategy is acceptable as it stands, but there are still a lot of concerns about housing.

“Provided there is a change of government next year, the Conser-vatives have made it clear these figures and all involved with them are going to be scrapped.

“Then we will be able to look at the whole thing again, and at the number of homes which we need to look after our own population in the future.”