A NARROW majority of planning councillors have again overturned an officer recommendation to refuse plans for four new detached two bed bungalows on green belt land close to Chadwell St Mary.

The application for the homes at Barmoor House came back to Thurrock Council's planning committee this evening (Thursday, 11 February) after being approved last month.

Under the council's rules, when offers vote against a recommendation, they have to do it twice for the result to stick and so the whole issue was debated again.

But the outcome - after a debate that saw some considerable antagonism between councillors - was the same with a 4-3 vote in favour of allowing the build.

Councillors first debated the application in November and decided on a site visit.

It came back before them last month and, after a fractious debate, was approved, largely after a push against the officers' advice led by ward councillor Gerard Rice who expounded its virtues.

He fought a running battle through the meeting with Cllr Gary Byrne - and that scenario played out again tonight.

The plan is to squeeze four detached two-bedroom bungalows on the rear part of a site off the former Barmoor House at Orsett Heath which has already been developed with bungalows. The rear garden of the former dwelling would be subdivided for each home in this latest application.

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Members heard that the officers had found no reason to change their opposition and they gave no weight to Cllr Rice's position that the bungalows would go to older people, saying there was nothing to that effect in the application.

However, Cllr Rice insisted it was a major reason to support the scheme, pitching him once again against Cllr Byrne who said: "We keep banging on about these over 55s houses but if I buy one of these 'over 55 houses' like those we recently approved in Fobbing I can then rent it out to a 20-year-old. All this age thing is irrelevant.

"The age restriction plays no part in the application so it is irrelevant.

"Everything that Cllr Rice has just said is irrelevant. I can only say the properties are not for older persons."

Cllr Rice came back and said: "I can only say that I live opposite this area and the majority of people who have bought those bungalows are over 55. It is quite clear they are meant for people in retirement or getting near to retirement. That is borne out by the occupation of those bungalows today."

Cllr Angela Lawrence was in support of the development and said: "No one takes it lightly, building on green belt, but this would be a good place to do it."

And Cllr Sue Sammons also offered her backing, saying: "It's just a circle of land that can't be seen. It's not open space, people can't see it so if we reject this it's a wasted opportunity."

With four councillors in favour, a majority was therefore assured and the scheme was given the green light – though it may yet be called in by the Planning Inspectorate if the reasons for approval don't pass muster.

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It all left Cllr Byrne fuming and he concluded: "We have got to vote on the bricks, the mortar and the green belt not anything else. Age of occupancy is irrelevant. This is just so wrong. We are bending the law for over 55s but not for the 25s, the 35s and the 45s.

"The law goes out of the window when you are 55. It's ageist and it's wrong."