FIVE Thurrock councillors refused to bow down to the weight of public opinion and their own planning officers and have approved a controversial planning application for 230 new homes in the borough's green belt

At a meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee on Thursday, 5 January, five of its members stood by a decision made in November to approve the development on land in Linford.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News, they went into the meeting on a planning path not only opposed by the council, its political leadership and local residents and ward councillors but the five stuck to their guns an approved the application, backing a decision they first made last November about land to the rear of the George and Dragon pub.

Conservative councillors Tom Kelly, James Thandi, Paul Arnold, Adam Carter and Terry Piccolo, who voted for the scheme initially, backed their original decision. Labour's Lee Watson reiterated her vehement opposition but she was unable to sway her political rivals.#

Among them was Stanford councillor Terry Piccolo who said: "When it first came before the committee in November I was one that was in favour of the development. I did have a few concerns.

"But I have now looked at things in a bit more detail.

"The development is very close to the railway station, I would expect that to a decrease in the number of cars that would be going out in sort of normal rush hour times or times when people would normally go to work.

"That, to my mind, has reduced the amount of traffic that is leaving the estate.

"I'm also, bearing in mind there will be a lot of families moving onto the estate, believe its likely to be more busy at school run times which again moves away from the rush hour times.

"So, I think that mitigates a lot of the traffic flow. I don't think the traffic is going to be a problem. I don't have any fears regarding the traffic.

"My personal view is that if we can use up these parcels of land that can't be expanded upon, that have got adequate transport links, then we should take the opportunity to do so."

Fellow Conservative councillor Adam Carter also supported the development, saying: "Since this has come back, my views haven't changed. I very much echo and welcome what Cllr Piccolo said about this being contained. The application has a lot to offer."

Cllr Paul Arnold rubber-stamped his colleagues' view, saying: "My opinion has not changed at all since that previous meeting."

Committee chair Cllr Tom Kelly concluded: "The housing market is quite frankly a horror show. For the youngsters today it is a nightmare to get on to the market, on the other end of the argument you have some very upset, very concerned residents here in East Tilbury and they are right to be concerned because there are issues here that need to be looked at."

Referencing transport issues Cllr Kelly said: "Is this going to make a bad situation worse, I think a little bit, but on the other side of the argument here what you are looking at is a site that is 100 per cent affordable."

Cllr Kelly championed the environmental issues put forward by the developers and said he believed local families would get a good percentage of the affordable, available homes, adding: "The benefits are huge there's no chance I am going to turn away the chance for 230 families to move into affordable homes when it's a horror show out there."

Cllr Kelly conceded it was possible his own leadership or council officers might choose to oppose his view, adding: "There is a failsafe in the system, best of luck.  I am on the side of this development."

Cllr Kelly may well have been considering the views of his own group leader. Council leader Cllr Mark Coxshall has personally opposed the scheme and says he will support a government call in to review the situation."

Ward councillor Fraser Massey immediately went on the warpath after tonight's decision.

He said: "I am gutted. Nearly 300 residents objected. Councillors had a second chance tonight to go with the professional planning officers advice and not build on our greenbelt, this is how they voted.

"Five Conservatives voted to build: Cllr Tom Kelly - Little Thurrock Rectory – Chair; Cllr Terry Piccolo - Stanford-le-Hope West; Cllr Adam Carter - Chadwell St Mary; Cllr Paul Arnold - Ockendon and Cllr James Thandi - Chafford and North Stifford.

"Labour's Cllr Lee Watson (West Thurrock and South Stifford) voted not to build.

"The last option it to ask the secretary of state to look at the decision again. I think we have a decent case but nothing is assured in planning."