BASILDON Council’s development firm is set to be granted permission to build 35 new homes off the A1321 – despite none of the homes being “affordable”.

Sempra Homes – the council’s commercial arm dedicated to the construction of homes – has submitted a bid to build the homes over two sites 200 metres apart.

The plans, which council officers have recommended are approved at a meeting next week, will see 18 homes and a three-storey block of 15 flats built on green land bordering Church Road and Broadmayne.

Two further houses will be built in nearby Fairlop Gardens – with several garages demolished to make way.

The application had originally included “an appropriate level of affordable housing,” according to council documents.

However, following review of costing of the proposed scheme the Sempra Homes says the development is not financially able to deliver affordable housing at this time.

An independent review was conducted by BNP Paribas surveyors which the council says confirmed Sempra Home’s claims.

However, the developer has pledged to apply for Homes England grant funding to deliver the 11 affordable homes, if the plans are approved.

Council documents also reveal plans for a new access road onto Church Road for the larger western part of the development which run eastward for 50 metres and then turn northward

A pedestrian route from Church Road will be maintained through the site to give residents access to the green space behind Fairlop Gardens.

Eight trees along the south western part of the site will be felled to make way for the development, with 19 new replacement trees set to be planted around the parking areas.

The majority of the existing trees running along the Broadmayne and Church Road frontage of the site are to be retained.

A total of 70 parking spaces will be delivered across the development, as well as 35 cycle storage spaces.

In planning documents, Sempra Homes says the development will help provide “much-needed” housing in the town.

“A mixture of houses in this location would provide much needed family homes with opportunity for gardens and a connection to existing residential communities,” the firm claims.