APPROVAL has been granted for 153 new homes to be built in Stanford-le-Hope by Thurrock Council’s planning committee – with its chairman Cllr Terry Hipsey having a blast at some of his critics as he proposed the vote for approval.
The site of the new development, off Victoria Road and adjacent to the Manorway and the c2c rail line, has been a hotly debated issue in the area, with residents raising concerns over flooding and access.
Approval for the site for 185 homes was given by the now defunct Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation several years ago, but that permission expired.
After negotiations with Thurrock Council over the number of homes, the developers C & S Associates amended the number of homes and also made some changes to the access point, which is via a roundabout at the end of Victoria Road.
Cllr Tunde Ojetola was concerned that not enough discussion had taken place over the amended access, saying: “The main concern is the roundabout, I was hoping we would have a graphic where we could see the access. There was concern about the road being split into three, I am a bit disappointed we are just reiterating what was said before. The concerns were across the chamber but it seems we have had officers having one meeting, saying it’s OK and that’s it.”
The Council’s development management manager Leigh Nicholson told the meeting: “Officers met with the applicant and went through all the conditions recommended and they reached agreement with the developers that all access issues could be resolved. All issues raised have been looked at and were summarised in an update report put before councillors.”
Cllr Kevin Wheeler was concerned about flooding fears, saying: “This looks to me like floodplain. In ten years time can they guarantee there will be no floods. It seems ridiculous. In ten years time we could have people in their front rooms up to their knees in water.”
He then raised a concern that Anglian Water had predicted that the new development might cause foul water flooding in other areas, but was assured by Mr Nicholson that all the relevant agencies had told the Council they were now happy with the plans to mitigate against potential flooding problems.
Cllr Wheeler then went on the say he believed Stanford was getting more than its share of new development and that he had believed the site was in the greenbelt.
He said: “Is this on greenbelt? I was under the impression Stanford-le-Hope had met its quota for development with the Butts Lane development.”
He was told by Committee chair Cllr Terry Hipsey that the Council had agreed that the site be released from the greenbelt in 2012. He said the Butts Lane development, currently being built by Barratts, came along afterwards, adding: “Yes it’s a tragedy but this was released then Butts Lane came up on us from the DC.”
Cllr Steve Liddiard said he thought there had been positive moves by the developers, saying: “The road access is capable of taking 200 homes, not 150 so it meets the standards” and Cllr Brian Little also put forward a pragmatic viewpoint, saying: “I don’t think we will ever get a perfect design on what we want but this does suit the area and it is a bit of land that wouldn’t be used for anything else. My fear is that people in future years will suffer at that roundabout and though I will say yes, it’s not a very good job.”
Cllr Gerard Rice concurred, saying: “Our hands are tied to a degree by the DC. What we have been able to do is reduce the number of units and the Environment Agency which is the lead on flooding have raised no objection, highways officers say it confirms to the standards and we must recognise that local people want to live in the area and we have to recognise that 35 per cent will be affordable for local people.
“We may not be 100 per cent happy but for the reasons that I have outlined I will support the application this evening.”
Cllr Hipsey summed up and proposed approval, saying: “At the last full council meeting we heard that 6,500 people have nowhere to live in Thurrock, a serious number. This planning application we have been toing and froing over for several months and going nowhere.
“It’s no good blaming the DC, we have to look at ourselves, this land was given away from greenbelt for development. We supported 185 houses as a strategic consultee. My bugbear is that it’s not us, it was referred to the National planning policy referral unit. If you want to blame someone blame them. The applicants have worked to the brief they were given, the local authority said come and build in our Borough.”
He also then had some emotive words for councillors who had raised concerns and for residents who had been part of a campaign against the development.
To councillors he said: “If you aren’t happy with the planning policy locally do something about it. You are elected councillors. You can change the rules if you are not happy with the tools you have got.”
And to critics he added: “I am a ward councillor there and it’s very upsetting. But when you have 6,500 people with the chance to get into a house with affordable accommodation I am going to be looking after those people. I can understand where the people in Victoria Road are upset because they are looking over a field at the moment but we have to move on.
“I have been doing this job for a few years now and I have been taking a few hits from the behind the scenes merchants who go on the internet with silly names but as much as I am not happy with the application I will support it because it will be helping someone at the end of the day.”
Cllr Wheeler was less bullish, saying: “It won’t be local people buying them, who of the 6,500 can afford to buy them unless we change our policy and build houses ourselves? We should take the wishes of local people into consideration, maybe sometimes we go too fast!”
The proposal was passed with five councillors voting for it, and three against.
