A PLAN to build eight new homes in Stanford-le-Hope has the backing of planners, despite objections from residents and councillors.

The Incidental Land Company Limited has applied for outline planning permission to build on land to the rear of 18 to 28 Fairview Avenue.

The development on land which residents say is home to much wildlife, including badgers, will overlook properties in Fairview Avenue and adjacent Ryde Drive. A legal dispute is also currently underway as to who actually owns the land at the end of residents' gardens.

While planning officers were poised to make a decision outline planning permission behind closed doors, the application was 'called in' by ward representative Neil Speight, Independent councillor for Stanford-le-Hope West along with four other councillors and must now be decided by the planning committee on Tuesday (8 July).

Cllr Speight said: "The outline application is the "sprat to catch a mackerel". In terms of this application the matters that will not be considered under outline are many-fold and many can be justifiably contested.

"This is particularly relevant in terms of the flora and fauna aspects of this application.

"There are objections and concerns from wildlife and environmental agencies on such matters as ancient trees, bats, birds, badgers, insects and other habitat. These concerns have been discarded for the moment, which I find unfathomable."

Cllr Speight added: "I believe the planned access to this site is too narrow, indeed even a representative of the applicant has confirmed that 'at this point' we don't know if the turning will be wide enough to take a refuse collection vehicle. If it is too narrow, it's likely that residents will have to wheel their bins to the top of the lane.

"The newly "widened" access road will still be very narrow and vehicles using it will pass within inches of the front door of an adjacent property. That is extremely dangerous but above and beyond that, it is a massive intrusion into the life and privacy of that resident."

The council has received 25 letters of objection from residents whose concerns included a current land ownership dispute, loss of amenity, privacy, direct overlooking and loss of natural light.

Residents also said there would be noise, disruption and loss of green space and "additional traffic on already over-trafficked road network meaning parking will become more of an issue than it already is".

Objector, Jane Browne, of Fairview Avenue, said: "Fairview Avenue and its surrounding roads are already extremely busy both with traffic passing through to the St Margaret's estate and with residents trying to park their vehicles near their homes.

"Parking is already problematic, there are just too many vehicles for the spaces available."