THE “green lungs” of Wickford must be protected in a bid to stop plans to build a care home on the land, councillors have warned.

Two Wickford councillors have tabled a motion to Basildon Council to protect the Wick green as it emerged a care home is being lined up for the site.

Conservatives Malcolm Buckley and George Jeffrey demanded the council “recognises the strong desire of residents to retain this site as public open space” and “agree that maintaining a green lung in the centre of Wickford is important to the wellbeing of residents”.

The councillors have also urged the authority to ask agents Montagu Evans LLP, which has conducted market research, to “withdraw the site from sale with immediate effect”.

Mr Buckley said: “When the council first decided to sell this site, they were considering housing, a hotel, or a supermarket, all of which would have generated seven figure sums.

“Now they have realised those proposals were not just damaging the environment and unwanted but also undeliverable for various reasons, so they are looking to sell at any price they can.

“The proposals for a care home or nursing home will generate only a fraction of the value of more commercial schemes.”

The land had been earmarked for a pub and a hotel but Marstons pulled out of the scheme due to a lack of funds.

A petition was launched by the group Wickford Save Open Space to stop the plans.

Mr Jeffrey added: “This is a key green gateway to Wick Meadows.

“This green space is an important environmental asset, and is one of the main pedestrian routes.

“My constituents do not want to be faced with a brick wall of new buildings concreting over this valuable green space.

“We are seeking to instruct officers to find a way to protect this site in perpetuity by either giving it village green or fields in trust status.” A planning application has not yet been submitted.

Basildon Council was contacted for comment.