RESIDENTS have already logged objections to plans for 140 new homes to be built on a field on the edge of Chadwell St Mary.

The submission for the new housing development, which would include 35 per cent of affordable homes, has been submitted to Thurrock Council by agents Lambert Smith & Hampton, acting for landowner Peter Biggs

The site, to the rear of houses on Lytton Road and north of Wood View off is currently in agricultural use with paddock land being used as an open field.

The developers say that because the site is adjacent to and within the existing residential area of Chadwell St Mary and is relatively small in comparison to surrounding developments - and would be contained by an existing belt of trees and landscaping – its development would not cause significant harm to the green belt.

The plan is for 91 private homes made up of 30 four bedroomed houses, 29 three bedroomed houses, 20 two bed flats and 12 one bed flats while there would be 49 affordable homes made up of nine three bed houses, 16 two be flats and 24 one bedroom flats.

In 1951 the site had been earmarked for a new hospital but the plan was never followed up. In 1961 sand and gravel were extracted from part of the site.

The applicants made a submission to Thurrock council for the land to be allocated for housng in the local plan currently being prepared. The full application statement can be found here.

A number of objections by local residents have already been filed with the council.

Christine Collins of Oxford Avenue says: "The traffic through Chadwell St Mary is at times bordering on the ridiculous, people who live in the roads that exit to Riverview find it very difficult now to leave their road by vehicle, building these houses would cause even more traffic making it impossible, not even to mention the additional pollution.

"This stretch of land at least means that there is a gap between the Dock Road and Chadwell if houses are built here, the pollution level and air quality is bound to be made worse, and that is without factoring in the awful new crossing that Government wants to inflict on us.

"This applications should be rejected because of the health of the people living here.

"The infrastructure will not be able to cope."

Melanie Carey of Lytton Road adds her view, saying: "I object to this site being built on, we don't have many areas of green belt land left in Chadwell as it is and now you want to take this one away as well. With the amount of houses and flats you are proposing to build, this would mean an extra 500+ people in the area. Our doctors can't cope as it is, local schools are full to capacity."

Other residents have registered similar views and the council is inviting more comment, which you can post online here.