A bid has been unveiled to replace a former animal boarding business with dozens of new park homes.

Plans to replace the former Sirocoby Kennels and Cattery in Newhouse Avenue, Wickford, with 25 new residential park homes have been submitted to Basildon Council.

A previous application was approved last year to transform the site into a mixed use development of buildings for retail, storage and industrial processes.

Laister Planning, which submitted the plans on behalf of the site's owner, says this use of the site is "more incongruous" on the setting of Newhouse Avenue than the proposed use of the site for park homes, which it says would bring "social, economic, and environmental benefits" to the area.

The application also states the development would provide employment during "the implementation of the scheme".

When the previous plans were approved, some Basildon councillors warned an industrial development in the green belt and in a residential area was inappropriate and would have a negative impact on neighbours.

If this new application is approved, the site will have an internal access road running throughout as well as an office building with visitor parking to the east of the entrance.

The proposed park homes will measure 40ft by 20ft, with dedicated parking for each.

The planning specialists say the new "low-cost" homes with a "well-designed layout and landscape" will make best use of the previously developed land within an area with "a demonstrable shortfall of housing stock".

This comes after Andrew Baggott, Conservative leader of the council, admitted there is a “deluge of people needing a house” which the council has been unable to provide for due to “limited resources”.

Basildon Council will have the final say on the new plans.