Local plan stirs up Basildon debate

One of the biggest issues for Basildon Council in the past year has been the local plan and it has become a topic of debate in the upcoming local elections.

The council - which covers Basildon, Billericay and Wickford - has backed a plan that could see 20,000 new homes in the borough by 2033.

It is awaiting approval from housing secretary James Brokenshire.

A recent council meeting on the plan saw 750 residents crammed into a hall at Basildon Sporting Village.

The debate saw Conservative councillors accusing the Labour/UKIP administration of not listening to local people.

The Labour, UKIP and Independent groups accused the Conservatives of using delaying tactics to stop the plan going through.

Gavin Callaghan, leader of the council and Labour group, told the BBC: "I am fully supportive of the local plan which this administration has put together. The plan will last until 2034.

"The government increased the number of homes needed from 15,000 to 20,000."

He said there would also be new roads and schools among the developments.

Phil Turner, leader of the Conservative group, said the local plan for Basildon was "a complete disaster, an unmitigated failure".

"We will be left with high-density, low-quality homes. In Billericay, we had 1,300 homes allocated. Now we have 3,000 homes with no new transport study," he said.

Gary Canham, of the UK Independence Party, said he was "fully supportive of what we have managed to get through".

"The plan had been to have 8% [of homes] on the green belt, but we have reduced it to around 4%."

He said it was "essential" for Basildon Council to put forward a local plan, setting out areas for development, because without one developers could dictate where building could take place.

Kerry Smith, leader of the independent group, said: "I think it is bullying by central government that has led to the local plan. That is why we are having to build on green fields."

He added: "The trouble with the debate is that it has just become a whinge from the Tories who are obsessed by Billericay and want to build all the homes in Basildon and Wickford."

David Harrison, leader of Wickford Independents, said the council needed a plan as it had not had one since 1998.

"All parts of the borough will have development. Fairness is a good thing. This is a plan for 20 years and it is unlikely any development will take place for five years," he said.