THE scale of the playing field sell-off Basildon Council is planning to help fund its prestigious sporting village project has been revealed.

Fields off Kent View Road, Vange, will become a housing estate, if plans for 73 homes go ahead.

The main image on the right clearly shows how much open land – including a popular football pitch – will be lost if the field is built upon.

The loss of so much green space has shocked neighbours and local campaigners, who are bitterly opposed to the plans.

The council says it needs to sell the site as the only realistic way of funding the £38million sporting village now being built in Gloucester Park.

Phil Jacobs, a member of the Vange Community Group, said: “We were absolutely shocked when we saw the plans.

“The way they have designed the scheme suggests the right-hand side of the site could also be developed in the future.

“The council is saying the rest of the land will be subject to investment, but how can we trust it? Councillors are just thinking about themselves and their good names.

“Our view is not one brick should be laid on the site.

“There is simply nowhere else for people to go. People from outside the area even use that area.”

The planned estate layout, superimposed over an aerial photo of the site, is included in the planning application submitted by the council’s consultant, David Lock Associates.

This is one of several applications being put forward by the company in parts of the district.

The sites will be sold to developers with planning permission In support of such applications, the council is promising the sites will retain some open space – and insists money will be spent improving the remaining open areas at each site.