COUNCILLORS are to make a personal inspection of the site of a proposed number of new homes after its developers were described as 'cowboys' in a planning meeting.

Landowner Michael Valente's 2018 bid to add to new homes already built at James Court adjacent to St Clere's Hall to the west of Stanford-le-Hope was rejected and an appeal to the planning inspector lost, but he has come back with an amended plan which planning officers recommended for approval.

The controversial development of flats and four terraced homes was discussed at the recent planning meeting but concerns about the developer's track record of completing previously agreed work on the site meant they are to make a site visit.

Officers had recommended approval for the new application saying the proposal falls within one of the limited exceptions to building in the greenbelt because it is a previously developed site.

Cllr Angela Lawrence raised concerns about vehicle access to the existing site and said it was 'surprise' a child or a dog had not been knocked over.

She said those concerns needed to be addressed before the site expanded. "It is really dangerous and would be on all our consciences. It concerns me the applicant hasn't sorted anything out and now he wants to escalate it."

Cllr Mike Fletcher said: "We can't legislate for the idiocy of drivers but if part of the problem is the applicant failing to complete works can we not include that as a condition?"

He was told that was not possible but the council could look into the enforcement of conditions previously granted within existing planning permissions and that would be done 'as soon as we can'.

Ward councillor Terry Piccolo said, in a statement read to the committee, that he was concerned that the developer had not completed works previously agreed, saying: "There are still many works outstanding for example incomplete car ports and generally unfinished or poorly completed groundworks.

"It appears to me the developer is more interested in building the houses and selling them rather than ensuring the whole development is completed in a timely manner."

He said that if the new application was approved strict conditions and timings should be imposed.

That prompted Cllr Fletcher to say: "These guys are starting to sound like cowboys, I would like to see what they have done with the first part of the site before approving