Basildon Council may have to sell more land to help pay for its Sporting Village project.

The council has refused to say it will not sell other land, after backing down and agreeing to scale back plans for housing in Pound Lane, Laindon.

Homes developments in Pound Lane, Kent View Road, Vange and Felmores, Pitsea have all been proposed by the council, to raise funds for the £38million Sporting Village.

Last week the Echo reported moves to build 23 homes in Pound Lane had been withdrawn following a campaign by neighbours.

New, scaled-back plans for the site would only develop part – where Pounders community centre and its car park currently is, leaving the playing fields intact.

However Phil Rackley, Labour councillor for the area, fears the council will now need to find another site to sell to developers. He told Thursday’s full council meeting: “This new scheme will raise far less money than the council anticipated with the first scheme.

“Where is the next property on the list the council wants to sell off to property developers?”

Last year, the council compiled a list of more than 20 sites right across the district it could sell to help foot the bill for the Sporting Village.

Tory council leader Tony Ball said it would have to wait and see how much the three sites is was still selling were worth before considering others.

He added: “We do have the list and we will wait to see if these areas get planning permission and how much money we get for the planning permission.”

Mr Ball defended the controversial sale of the three pieces of land, promising the Sporting Village would be the “crown jewel” of Basildon.

At the meeting, several residents spoke out against the policy of land sales to fund the Sporting Village. Terry Adams, of Elverston Close, Laindon, said the decision to scale back the Pound Lane plans was only a partial victory.

He added: “We’re not going to stop, because the council still wants to build over the community centre.”