WICKFORD is "under siege" from speculative developers looking to capitalise on a lack of housing plan and build a combined 848 new homes on green belt land.

The latest plan has seen developer Pigeon launch a consultation over proposals to build 302 homes on open space near Tresco Way, Wickford, including a primary school and pre-school.

It follows plans being submitted to build 117 new homes in London Road by developer Crest, 270 homes out for consultation in Shotgate, and already approved plans for 49 homes also in London Road.

Pigeon has said the 302-home development will have “lasting benefits for Wickford” but Wickford Park Tory councillor, George Jeffery, fears the area is “under attack” from developers.

He said: “Wickford has a massive potential, and it must be worked on with residents, not forced upon them, that is an attack on us by developers.

“I was given no warning these plans would be coming; I was informed by a resident which is poor and shady on the part of the developer.

“This shouldn’t have gone behind the back of the council, and it does undermine us, developers will chance it with the council and residents must provide feedback on these plans to make sure they are heard.

“While the plans do include a school a stone’s throw from the homes, the congestion at peak times would be horrendous and infrastructure provision must be stepped up.”

Basildon Council’s local plan, which laid out where thousands of homes would be built across the borough in coming years, was withdrawn in 2022.

A new plan is being drawn up by the council, however councillors and residents fear the green belt is “vulnerable” without a plan in place.

Mr Jeffery added: “We withdrew the local plan to protect the green belt. We are very concerned about the number of proposals on the green belt and the green belt is only vulnerable if we don’t have a five-year land supply for developers.

“We have won planning appeals before on green belt with this argument and must make sure developers know they must exhaust our brownfield sites before they start on our green belt.

“We need to prevent a case where Wickford is merging with Basildon.”