PLANS to partly demolish the Eastgate Shopping Centre and build 2,800 homes have been agreed despite calls to defer the decision for more talks.

Conservatives wanted to delay a decision on the plan after claiming Essex County Council had not assessed and responded properly to the proposals.

But Basildon councillors hit back, insisting there had been discussions and time for responses.

The project will see 2,800 flats built and the Asda store demolished and rebuilt in a smaller store in the centre. The development would create 600 new jobs.

Hundreds of flats, which will include student accommodation and affordable homes, will then be built on top of the relocated Asda.

READ MORE:

Leigh Old Town trouble: ‘Give us a dispersal order every weekend in summer’

Craig Rimmer, Tory councillor for Pitsea South East, said: “We should defer this item as there’s been no highways assessment and I think this is dangerous. There’s not been a proper assessment from the authority that deals with highways.

“It feels like there has been too much haste, when we could have waited to get a response from the highways authority and others such as our refuse services and NHS property services who have not had time to respond.”

Phil Turner, Tory councillor for Billericay West, said: “Our officers are not the highways experts and we do not know what it’s going throw up.

“If we are going to see a major part of the town redeveloped I would rather wait and get an expert assessment from those who are in positions to do that.”

Christine Lyons, head of planning at Basildon Council, said the plans would be acceptable in terms of highways and there had been talks with the county council and other authorities.

Developers Sovereign Centros and Leslie Jones Architecture unveiled the bold new plans in September.

Adele Brown, Labour chair of the planning committee, said: “I would remind all councillors we do not always receive response from people.

“We have had responses from them where they have had issues, also we need to bear in mind they’ve had the usual amount of time to respond.

“We haven’t rushed this, it’s not that we’re trying to get this through in a certain amount of time.”