Concern and anger as council slots controversial plan for more than 2,000 green belt homes into pre-Christmas week with little notice to residents and objectors
By Nub News reporting team based on source material from LDRS reporter Christine Sexton. 16th Dec 2025
By Nub News reporting team based on source material from LDRS reporter Christine Sexton. 16th Dec 2025
RESIDENTS and campaigners have reacted with concern and anger after getting notice that a major rural housing development's future is to be debated next Monday – leaving them little time to put forward united opposition at a planning meeting.
The highly controversial development on land between Bulphan and West Horndon proposes a new settlement of up to 2,100 homes on what is regarded locally as 'green belt' land.
Submission of the planning application for the scheme, known as Horndon St Marys, was made in October last year and promoted by Iceni Projects, the planning consultancy which has successfully led on a number of major developments in Thurrock including a 230 home development in Linford and up to 1,000 homes on a nearby site to the west bordering Linford and East Tilbury. They have supported ongoing schemes for 440 homes in Corringham which is currently in for consideration and an application for up to 121 new homes on green belt off Butts Lane in Stanford-le-Hope.
The application for the 'Horndon St Marys' 2,000+ homes development prompted an immediate outburst of concern and objection from villagers in Bulphan and West Horndon who believe the building of homes on 257 acres of land bordering Tillingham Hall Farm will overwhelm the villages, cause colossal harm to the green belt and would be 'urban sprawl' without appropriate infrastructure.
A rapidly-called public meeting in a packed hall in West Horndon united the two villages in opposition with councillors from Thurrock and Brentwood joining in opposition to the scheme. A petition which eventually netted more than 2,000 signatures was conceived and later delivered to Thurrock Town Hall. There have been 617 objections on the council's planning portal.
Attending the handover were members of West Horndon and Bulphan Green Belt Guardians who included West Horndon parish councillors among their number.
Members spoke to Nub News.
The scheme applicants, Horndon St Marys LLP, say they want to create a mixed-use development, adding half the homes would be affordable and the development would include community facilities, a primary school, hotel, care home, and commercial space.
Plans also include a multi-modal transport hub, improvements to West Horndon Station, and new pedestrian and cycle routes.
The site lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt, but Thurrock planning officers – who are recommending approval of the project - say it qualifies as 'grey belt' and meets national policy requirements due to Thurrock's acute housing shortage.
The borough currently has just 1.02 years of housing land supply, which has triggered the National Planning Policy Framework's presumption in favour of sustainable development.
Last week Thurrock planning councillors rejected a scheme for 150 new homes in Orsett which officers wanted to approve – having also classified it as 'grey belt'.
Officers argue that "very special circumstances" exist for the Horndon St Marys project, and the proposal does not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining green belt. The development would provide more than 100 acres of public open space and retain 2.7 acres of woodland.
Horndon St Marys LLP says Horndon St Marys will be a vibrant urban place where "everyone can live their best quality of life and where no one is left behind". They add it is a "connected place, serving the wider community of Thurrock and Brentwood, and a gateway to London and South Essex".
News that the application will be debated and possibly decided emerged yesterday (Monday, 15 December) when the council published the planning committee meeting agenda.
The planning application for the development can be found via this link and the report put before the planning committee recommending approval is here.
Among many conditions recommended by officers is covering the cost of new lane markings at Orsett Cock roundabout and funding towards delivery of upgrades to the nearby A127/A128 junction.
News that the meeting will be held next week appears to have caught opposition groups on the hop and they have called for the meeting to be postponed to give them more time to present objections.
There will be few opportunities to speak against the proposal, with it being likely that just two speakers will be allowed to present for three minutes each – so residents say they need time to make sure all their points are put forward. Several have requested the right to speak and say they are being unfairly treated in comparison with the applicants who appear to have been in constant dialogue with the planning team.
There is also apparent disparity about who has been told what!
Campaigner Paul Shirra is among those who have written to the council asking for a delay. In a letter to council CEO Dr Dave Smith he says: "While I would welcome the opportunity to present my objection at this meeting, I must raise serious concerns regarding both the extremely short notice provided and the timing of the meeting.
"Given the significance of the matter and its potential impact on so many people and businesses, a few days' notice is wholly inadequate. It is difficult to accept that a meeting of this importance has not been scheduled for some time.
"Holding it during the Christmas period, with such limited notice, significantly restricts residents ability to attend or to prepare and formally record objections.
"This approach gives the impression that meaningful public participation is being discouraged, and highly favours the developer rather than anyone wanting to object to this development and the extreme concerns that are held around the impacts it would bring in numerous ways to people in Thurrock, Havering and Brentwood, West Horndon, Bulphan and North Ockendon in particular.
"I would like to draw your attention to what appears to be a 'phased' notification to interested parties. Having undertaken some investigation, it transpires some consultees received an email on 12 December, others three days later, and others are yet to receive notification, this being particularly notable for those who wrote letters of objection and communicated using the service of the Royal Mail.
"It is clear that this approach and the timing will mean that numerous stakeholders will be denied an opportunity to request to speak. Thurrock Council's Statement of Community Involvement sets out the Council's commitment to meaningful engagement with residents and stakeholders in the planning process.
"The extremely limited notice provided for this planning committee meeting, particularly during the Christmas period, would not appear to align with the principles or spirit of that document.
"Meaningful community involvement requires adequate time for residents to be informed, consider the issues, and prepare representations. In this instance, the process adopted has significantly restricted that opportunity.
"I respectfully request clarification as to why such limited notice is being given, why a phased notification is taking place, and whether you will now make alternative arrangements to ensure affected residents and other key stakeholders are afforded a fair and reasonable opportunity to engage in the planning process."
Another campaigner, Caroline May, has written to planning committee chair Cllr Mike Fletcher asking him to delay the discussion, debate and decision.
She says: "I raise serious concerns regarding the extremely short notice provided and the timing of the meeting taking place a few days prior to Christmas, when many people will be pre-occupied or not even be aware this is taking place.
"It feels although this is a deliberate tactic to divert from what would otherwise be a most contentious discussion, should it be done in a true and open manner. Given the significance of the matter and the potential impact on local residents, not to mention the environmental impacts, including risk of flooding, a few days' notice is wholly inadequate.
"I find it difficult to accept that a meeting of this importance has not been scheduled in advance, however these emails are being sent an only few days before the meeting date.
"Therefore, holding the discussion during the Christmas period, with such limited notice, significantly restricts residents' ability to attend or to prepare and formally record objections. This approach gives the impression that meaningful public participation is being discouraged, and highly favours the developer rather than anyone wanting to object and raise the extreme concerns around the multiple negative impacts it would bring.
"Is this how Thurrock chooses to operate, flying in the face of true democracy and favouring profit making corporations?
"The argument for affordable housing does not stack up when looked at in the round against the totality of the development that we are facing locally, and affordable is of course open to interpretation. Again, no sufficient time has been allowed for sufficient responses to the lengthy report to be prepared."
Concern over the voices of residents being muted has also been expressed by Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart.
Just last week, and not knowing of the planned planning committee Mr Burghart met with villagers in West Horndon to discuss their fears.
After that meeting he said: "I have long campaigned for the preservation of our greenbelt. While I know that some housebuilding is inevitable, it is extremely important that largescale building does not lead to London expanding indefinitely into the countryside.
"As the Government expands its housebuilding plans, with little thought for the consequences of building on farmland and greenbelt land, the village of West Horndon – on the southern border of my constituency – is facing the prospect of being expanded into a large town if all current planning proposals are given the go ahead.
"I met with 70 residents and the West Horndon Parish Council last week to discuss the concerns which are coming through from many of the residents of this village.
"The good people of West Horndon fear their position on the border of two local authorities could see their small, much-loved, village become a small under-resourced and over-developed town in a very short time.
"There are concerns about transport, access to the village if the current route over the railway bridge is closed to all but buses, bikes and pedestrians, and lack of infrastructure including GP facilities. Add to that the loss of greenbelt and agricultural land in the area, and the already over-busy A127 and it's easy to see why West Horndon's residents are disgruntled.
"There is a disproportionate and targeted hike for housebuilding targets in rural areas, building on the green belt under the guise of grey belt and the removal of protections for villages.
"I will be doing all I can to ensure the views of West Horndon residents are heard by the local planning authorities."
If the meeting does go ahead next week, councillors will be asked to back the officers' recommendation to approve. It concludes: "The proposed development would provide significant housing growth within this part of Thurrock.
"There is no strong reason for refusal, nor do adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits."
West Horndon villagers are also 'under threat' of another major development from the same applicants.
Horndon St Marys LLP have sent out a consultation leaflet detailsing of a proposed new development for 1,300 homes. It is proposed to be built on land west of Thorndon Avenue and east of Childerditch Lane (south). The land concerned stretches from West Horndon Industrial Estate northwards towards the A127. Horndon St Marys LLP is owned by E&A Strategic Land/Iceni.
At the present time no planning application for this new development called Horndon Rise has been made. However, a formal submission to Brentwood Council is expected shortly.
In 2023 Brentwood Council also gave approval for a 3,700 home devel.opment on the site of Dunton Hill Golf Course, though it the Dunton Hills Garden Village has not yet been built out.
Earlier this year Brentwood councillor Adrian Baldock spoke up against the secrecy and illicit dealing between councils and developers, citing the issues around West Horndon.
Villagers in Orsett and Bulphan are also awaiting the outcome of an appeal against a decision by Thurrock Council to reject 750 homes to the south of Bulphan.
A hearing by the Planning Inspectorate took place in July but a decision on the site at Orsett Airfield (Kings Farm) has not yet been delivered.
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