AN application to build five homes on green belt land in Horndon on the Hill has been approved despite concerns about traffic, drainage and pressure on local infrastructure.

One of those against the plan is borough mayor Cllr Bill Cook, who believes the entrance to the new development will become an accident blackspot.

Cllr Cook said: "I wish to reject this application on the basis that I believe it will become an accident blackspot due to the proximity of the development to the roadside. " He was one of 15 people who live locally opposing the development and shared his view that it would create a hazardous junction. Others, including residents on Kirkham Road, from where the development will be accessed, opposed it on a range of grounds.

However, opinion was split as 14 people, though not all from the immediate area, supported the scheme, saying it would tidy up an eyesore among other reasons.

The new homes will be built behind an existing bungalow called Rose Briar which is on Kirkham Road, a private road accessed via Lower Dunton Road which runs alongside the planned development.

The bungalow will remain, while the barns, sheds, containers and other outbuildings behind it will be demolished.

A legal representative speaking for a resident told the committee the country lane had no pavements or public transport, leaving future residents heavily reliant on cars.

He said: "The development will significantly increase the amount of surface water run-off due to additional hardstanding, roofs, driveways and impermeable ground coverage."

He added extra water would put more pressure on current drainage and flow towards Lower Dunton Road, where water already pools during heavy rain.

Concerns about the disposal of water were echoed by Anglian Water which expressed its view, saying: "Anglian Water objects to any connection into our foul network from the proposed development, due to capacity constraints and pollution risk."

Matt Driscoll, speaking for the applicant, said permission had already been granted in 2024 for five homes on the site, but that scheme would have demolished the bungalow.

The new plans would keep the bungalow and add five homes.

He said the scheme would replace "dilapidated barns, sheds and containers" and reduce the site's overall building coverage.

Mr Driscoll added: "This proposal clears the site from dilapidated to a well-designed, coherent group of family houses."

A planning statement within the application added:"The proposal will make a valuable, deliverable contribution to Thurrock's severe housing shortfall in an increasingly sustainable location, without compromising highway safety, ecological assets, or neighbour amenity. "

Council officers said the plans did not meet all the usual requirements for building homes on green belt land, including rules around affordable housing.

However, they said there were special circumstances which justified approval, including an existing permission for five homes and plans to replace deteriorating buildings on the site.

Committee member Cllr James Poyntz, who is the borough's deputy mayor, had a different opinion to his mayoral colleague Cllr Cook, and said: "I think what's going to go here is better than what we've got at the moment." He added that the dilapidated barn could eventually be used for storage.

The application was only lodged with the council in late July and has gone through the system relatively quickly. There were some concerns from residents that they only recently received notification of it.

Committee chairman Cllr Steve Taylor, whose ward contains the development, moved approval of the scheme in what was his first meeting as chairman. Previously he has been a strong opponent of any development in the green belt.

As the application is in outline format, the final designs, layout and landscaping will still need separate approval.