MORE families are are preparing to sue Basildon Council if playing fields near their homes are built on.

About 30 residents now believe they have grounds for compensation through a legal covenant signed in 1976, when the former Basildon Development Corpor-ation handed over Kent View Road playing fields, in Vange, to Basildon Council.

Their solicitors believe a loophole in the document means owners of homes built on surrounding land should be compensated if the fields are ever built on.

Vange Community Group member Neil Hart was the first to send the council a letter last week warning he plans to lodge a claim, as his house was built on a plot of land, which he bought from the local authority in 1994, and which overlooks the fields.

The council has since received similar notification from five other residents and it is understood 24 additional letters are in the post.

Mr Hart said: “More and more people are coming forward who think they would be entitled to compensation. Word is spreading.

“This could end up costing the council millions of pounds, as we believe residents living near all the other playing fields across Basildon the council wants to sell off could also be entitled to compensation.”

The council wants to sell Kent View Road playing fields to developers, allowing 73 homes to be built on the site.

It is thought similar covenants apply to other playing fields set to be sold off, including Gloucester Park, Basildon, Northlands Park, Pitsea, and Ballards Walk, Laindon, so thousands more people could qualify for compensation. The council is selling the fields to raise more than £30million to fund the new Sporting Village, in Gloucester Park.

Tony Ball, leader of the council, said: “We have received a letter from Mr Hart and other residents and will be responding in due course. It is important to remember at all of the sites mentioned open space will remain for dog walking, kick-abouts and general recreation.”