THURROCK councillors have rejected plans for eight new homes on former back gardens in Stanford-le-Hope.

The controversial plans were opposed by residents and councillors over concerns of a loss of wildlife and overlooking of nearby homes.

The Incidental Land Company Limited applied for outline planning permission to build on land at 22 and to the rear of 18 to 28 Fairview Avenue but access is via a narrow road between homes and the new homes would overlook existing residents.

Speaking on behalf of residents at a Thurrock Council planning committee on Tuesday, Neil Speight, Independent councillor for Stanford-le-Hope West, said: "I have concentrated on material planning reasons that can be evidenced and which relate to access and layout.

"Those objections give details of evidenced concerns about traffic flow including access and egress danger, potential parking problems both within the site curtilage and on Fairview Avenue, proximity of new buildings to existing homes and the subsequent breach of privacy.

"Councillors have already expressed deep concerns and I have seen nothing from the applicants to alleviate them.

"This site will contribute nothing to the area through section 106 yet with eight homes including three, three- bed ones, it is inevitably going to add to already overstretched local resources."

Cllr Speight added: "Infill developments such as this are insidious blots on our local landscapes they eat up infrastructure and resource and give little back.

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"I understand officers feel the need to support wherever possible applications that increase our housing supply but only applications that are sustainable, bring value to communities and meet all reasonable challenges should be approved."

The narrow access will have to be widened to take construction vehicles which it is feared will impact neighbouring properties.

Cllr Michael Fletcher, chairman of the committee, said: "We've got a lot of very valid concerns about the process of getting these things built and about the road next to a house which I think has to be taken into account.

"I'm not sure that there will be any way of building here whether it's bungalows whether it's two storey houses without that disruption because you are in effect driving in driving a gap through between two existing houses to to build so whatever gets built back here that that disruption would happen."

Agents Smart Planning Ltd, said the scheme would address a housing shortage in the borough.