RESIDENTS have been urged to come forward with potential sites where thousands of new homes could be built across Castle Point.

Tory councillor Andrew Sheldon asked for as much help as possible from the public to identify suitable locations.

The council needs to find more brownfield sites, locations which have been previously developed, but could be used for new developments.

This would take the pressure off the council to identify green belt sites instead.

The council scrapped its previous long-term development plans for the borough in September, which would have involved building 3,500 new homes on green belt. This was because of overwhelming opposition from residents.

Councillors have since held a series of private meetings, which residents were not invited to, where they discussed possible locations Mr Sheldon, who represents St Mary’s ward, said the time had now come to consult with residents.

He said: “I am calling for Castle Point residents to come up with as many brownfield sites as possible, so that we can do as much as we can to preserve our green belt sites.

“We will do all we can to protect them for the future generations.”

Members of the Campaign to Protect Rural England congratulated the council for trying to protect its green belt.

Jack Neill-Hall, spokesman for the group, said: “Developing new housing on appropriate brown field land first is the most environmentally, socially and economically sustainable option.”

The council spent four years and almost £500,000 putting together the housing development plans which were scrapped two months ago.

The controversial document proposed building 500 homes east of Rayleigh Road, Thundersley, 600 at Jotmans Hall Farm, Benfleet, and 300 east of Canvey Road, Canvey.