COUNCILLORS stood their ground this evening and rejected a controversial planning application despite the threat of developers and the possibility of a public enquiry.

They threw out a proposal by property developer St Modwen Homes for 92 homes, comprising 86 one and two bed apartments, two three bed dwellings and four two bed dwellings on the site of the former Fords plant in South Ockendon.

The application has been discussed several times at Thurrock Council's planning committee but has found little favour with councillors, who rejected it last month.

That prompted St Modwen to come back and and threaten taking the matter to appeal and a possible public enquiry.

In turn, that sparked instant annoyance from councillors when debate opened on the matter this evening (Thursday, 18 March). Among the first to criticise St Modwen's approach was committee chair Tom Kelly who said: "This application is just a mess."

Members of the committee were united in their opposition to the proposal and they brought up a number or reasons why, which included the density of the development, the over reliance on Ockendon station as a transport hub, a chronic lack of parking and the lack of affordable homes.

Cllr Mike Fetcher said: "Whoever has said there isn't a parking issue has been looking at this at 2am or has asked someone else. We already have a problem."

Cllr Angela Lawrence said: "They want to cut back on affordable housing. We have got start to have forward-think applications. As for transport to think these people are going to go out and use buses - you have got another thing coming. This has got a lot of problems."

An angry Cllr David Potter was uncharacteristically emotional when he spoke, saying: "I am one of those people who doesn't normally take offence, I normally let it bounce off, but I think this application is offensive and threatening.

"The applicant says members are showing unreasonable behavior. What are we, yobbos? That is disgusting and threatening."

Cllr Gerard Rice said: "What we were asking for is a more suitable scheme, they have ignored our wishes and gone for high density for all the wrong reasons. We shouldn't be approving this, it is too heavy, it is not building homes that we want. We are building the next ghetto and I'm against that. We should not be building ghettos.

"We should send this back, we want it altered and we want more social provision."

Cllr Gary Byrne said: "We have got density issues, parking issues, quality issues, everything gives me no confidence. How can we vote in favour of this?

At the end of the debate no councillors would step up to support the officers' recommendation to approve the scheme.

That prompted Cllr Kelly to say: "There is a lot of risk. If we reject it could result in a public enquiry which is not a great place to be but if we support it we will not be doing a service to the residents of Thurrock.

"We have been incredibly reasonable on this application but they have turned round and said no, we are not going to do anything different. I would be interested to see at a public enquiry what would be unearthed.

"It is my genuine opinion that this is quite frankly a commercial venture to make profit and I would quite happily sit at a public enquiry and say that it is important we protect our residents from poor quality housing and this is that."

Cllr Fletcher added: "The idea we can't refuse something if it just creeps within minimum standards is wrong. We make decision based on our knowledge of the area, Life is not black and white. There are shades of gray and the fact is, for example, their statement that there are no parking issues is false."

He was backed up by Cllr Kelly who said: "When you look at the history of the site we have been fair. If they take it on we will have it out at the time. I will be more than happy to sit before a judge at an enquiry."