A DECISION on where the almost 20,000 new homes will be built across the Basildon borough will be made tonight.

After high costs, long delays and threats of Government intervention, the council is due to vote on the plan at a meeting of the planning committee this evening.

The Local Plan has been in development for more than four years, delayed and changed due to political rivalries and a change of power.

It has already cost more than £2million to prepare and they still have not found spots for 2,638 homes.

Council leader Andrew Baggott said: “The issue for me is the shortfall but there was also a shortfall in the previous plan.

“We are aware of it but when I met with the Government’s chief planner he was very complimentary.”

Labour leader Gavin Callaghan was sceptical over the shortfall.

He said: “The idea we are going to get this wrapped up in nine months seems unlikely unless the government is willing to relax the rules for Basildon and if that happens I’ll be interested to know what will happen in places like Brentwood, Thurrock and Castle Point when they can’t get their plans completed.

He added councillors on the infrastructure committee will be asked to make a big decision on Wednesday but have not been given enough information because the council has not briefed them following Mr Baggott’s meeting with the Government’s chief planner and minutes have not been published.

Mr Baggott denied this was the case, stating that Mr Callaghan met with the chief planner himself prior to his own meeting and that should have given him the chance to be briefed.

The plan currently includes sites for 17,791 new homes out of the Government target of almost 20,500.

Out of these 8,747 will be in Basildon, including in Laindon, Pitsea and Noak Bridge. Billericay will get 3,034 which is down on the original plans.

Wickford has been given an allocation of 3,513, subject to the plan being agreed.

Bowers Gifford has been allocated 1,350, Crays Hill has 65 and Ramsden Bellhouse, 39.

The remaining 880 homes have been allocated to sites which are not yet available and another 163 allocated to go on the green belt, the term for protected land around developments to prevent urban sprawl.

Under the plan the council is trying to delay building as many homes as possible due to problems with infrastructure.

The council, if the plan is approved, will try and convince the Government it can grant permission for 622 homes on average each year between now and 2023 which will rise to 1,111 per year between 2028 and 2034.

This strategy will be discussed at a meeting tonight and then before the full council on October 18.

Discussions are ongoing about the shortfall.