CALLS for a new homes scheme to be sent back to its planners because of concerns about a lack of parking provision were knocked back by a majority of planning councillors at this evening's Thurrock Council planning meeting (Thursday, 9 January).

Despite pleas from Cllr Gerard Rice that plans for 61 new homes on land adjacent to Church Hollow in Purfleet meant that the number of available parking spaces on the new development was 'nonsense' a majority of his colleagues chose to back the scheme.

The proposal was described by committee chair Cllr Tom Kelly as the first, tiny part of the huge Purfleet regeneration scheme that is eventually planned to bring 2,850 new homes to the area.

He said: "It is a very small piece of the end game. There doesn't seem to be a huge volume of concern by existing local residents.

"I understand where Cllr Rice is coming from but we have to be realistic about what is in front of us.

"I don't think we can get more out of the developers."

Cllr Gary Byrne, who about an hour earlier had waxed lyrically about the problems caused by parking and traffic agreed with the chairman saying: "This is the future."

Cllr Rice had told the meeting: "This is nonsense we have to get this car parking right. You talk about car parking with one and a half parking spaces per dwelling. You can make all the excuses that it's near the railway line and bus routes but the reality is that people have cars.

"These people in these homes will probably have more than one car they might even have three. They are going to clutter up the whole area.

"People will use their cars to pop across to Lakeside, they won't get on the bus. We all dream about it but the reality is they won't get on the bus.

"We should really look at this, it's insufficient, it will cause problems, we should say go back to the developers and say go back to the drawing board. There are going to be cars everywhere on the pavements It will be cluttered. We should send this back and defer it, it's all wrong.

"We should say get the car parking sorted and then we will be happy.

Planning officer Matthew Gallagher responded by saying: "It is an issue that is close to members' concerns. But we have draft standards setting out a range of provisions and the provision before you is within that range.

"Both the applicant and the council's highways department have talked about sustainable transport measures for this development as a while. It would be difficult as, in terms of straight bat standards, within the council provision, this is within the range.

"And some of these roads will be privately managed and they will be seeking to ensure that people don't abuse parking. It's a concern, I get it, but there's enough to mitigate it."

Cllr Daniel Chukwu supported Cllr Rice, saying: "I totally support councillor Rice. Car parking is going to be an issue, while committee vice chair Cllr Mike Fletcher said: "I personally think that the first 61 houses sets out the standards.

"If you let it go for 61 then how can you question the larger developments? We need to ask how they are going to solve the practical problems of parking, I will be backing a deferral. If we don't get it right these cars will just disperse elsewhere."

However, his argument failed to sway a majority of councillors and the scheme was passed.