NEW plans to build 280 homes on green belt land opposite a popular beauty spot in Billericay have been revealed.

A screening opinion submitted to Basildon Council shows initial plans for the homes east of Greens Farm Lane.

The bid has been submitted by CEG and would be directly opposite the Mill Meadows conservation area.

These plans are on green belt and would take the form of two large housing developments separated by a strip of green belt.

The bid has already been opposed by residents and joins the backdrop of planning in Billericay, which faces plans for 2,018 homes.

Billericay Action Group has warned of 11 housing development applications across Billericay, with the most sizeable being plans for 480 homes in London Road North and plans for 130 homes and a Lidl in London Road South.

Billericay West councillor Phil Turner believes developers have taken advantage of the council during election season to try and introduce new plans on green belt land.

He said: “It’s just been tabled.

“I do believe the developers were hoping it would not be picked up by diligent residents of Billericay.

“However, the council has been wised up to this and what they are trying to do is put a large development in the area.

“It is not small, and they have also separated the houses with a large land strip.

“We don’t buy this; developers do have a business to run and we need to hold them to account.

“If they are looking to put these homes in green belt, we cannot support it.

“Anything that comes forward to us must be sympathetic to the wider environmental situation and I’d be looking for that when we finally come to review this.”

A spokesman for Billericay Action Group said: “Some of you may recall an EIA Screening application was submitted to Basildon Council for a proposed development on Greens Farm Lane.

“Further investigations suggested that this would be for around 380 houses split across two areas with a public open area between the two estates, possibly as an extension to Mill Meadows.”

The group added that they are waiting for the planning application to be submitted and “will be keeping an eye out for it and will provide further updates accordingly”.