A PROPERTY developer has returned to Thurrock Council with a bid to build more homes on the former St Clere's Golf Club site.

The aim is to demolish two existing barn style buildings and the construct of a replacement building containing five apartments.

Michael Valente's 2018 bid to add to new homes already built at St James Court to the west of Stanford-le-Hope was rejected and an appeal to the planning inspector lost, but he has appointed a new designer and sought the help of a property barrister in a bid to get his scheme through this time.

Matthew Horton QC, says the new scheme is a positive one that has responded to the objections raised by councilors and endorsed on appeal.

He writes: "Following my advice that there was no error of law in the November 2019 appeal decision, that scheme has now been revised following the appointment of Dovetail, a firm of architects, to replace Hertford Planning Service which was responsible for the scheme dismissed on appeal.

"As a barrister with fifty years' experience in advising for and against development proposals, I consider that the Dovetail scheme is greatly superior to the unsuccessful scheme.

"In particular: (i) It replaces the two existing buildings with only one, further set back from the Stanford Road than the nearer of the existing two and having a smaller footprint than the combined footprint of the two buildings it is to replace; (ii) It does not obscure from the main road the existing new development parallel to it; 3 (iii) By virtue of comprising flats, it has no individual gardens and associated domestic paraphernalia, thus enhancing the openness of the site compared to the refused scheme and the site's existing appearance and avoiding the creation of hardstanding around the flats."

You can find full details of the application and comment here.