RESIDENTS in East Tilbury and Linford have been given sight of plans about to be submitted for around 1,000 new homes close to the villages.

It comes just a week or so after a controversial plan for 230 homes on green belt land to the east of Linford was approved.

The submission, to be made by Mulberry Property Developments, could bring a new primary school for the village – and also a bridge over the rail line, something local residents have called for over many years as the community has grown.

Plans for the site, on green belt land to the west of the villages, were previously submitted by a company called Cogent Lane around 2016, but the application was never progressed because of uncertainly of the proposed Lower Thames Crossing.

Now Mulberry Land has taken over the scheme and produced a development brief online.

The scheme will sweep in an arc around existing homes and the company says 35 per cent of the new builds will be 'affordable' – though no definition of what 'affordable' means has been detailed.

The plans not only promise a bridge over the railway, but a new two-form primary school, local centre with space for business, learning and community use and new areas of open space, including formal recreation.

Residents had the chance to meet represenatives of Mulberry Property at Friday's meeting.

On Friday (25 November) an exhibition with representatives of Mulberry Property was held in the village library. Also present were representatives from property advisory group Iceni Projects, who were behind the earlier successful application in Linford – though that still has to return to council to be rubber-stamped.

Iceni have also put a consultation process online and it can be accessed via this link.

Iceni were also linked to the as-yet-to-be-completed Lawns development in the heart of the village which is a highly contentious issue for residents (and its tenants).

Among those who attended Friday's presentation was ward councillor Fraser Massey who says: "After hearing and speaking to residents at the event it is clear as a community we still have grave concerns over the promises of bridges and infrastructure.

"We suffered the multiple extensions of Corys and S Walsh without getting anything in return.

"1,000 extra homes, with quite a possible 2,000 extra cars on the roads which cannot cope. All a bridge will do is mean more waiting at Cross Keys or Buckingham Hill.

Many feel we would be better off with no new homes and a bridge, and I can't blame them with all of the broken promises like that of the stalled Lawns development on the tennis courts."

The latest proposals complete a trio of as yet undecided major projects that bracket the villages. In addition to Mulberry's plans, the Lower Thames Crossing is planned to be built close to the village - as is a new network of electricity pylons.