BOROUGH planning councillors are poised this week to deliver their verdict on a controversial application that could see homes in the green belt.

A meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee meets tomorrow (Wednesday, 16 November) to consider the application for 230 homes on land at Linford.

They are being advised to reject the application – a view endorsed by local ward councillors Fraser Massey and Sue Sammons.

A detailed report to the committee says the proposal represents inappropriate development in the green belt that would cause substantial harm to its openness.

While much of the report highlights the negative aspects of the scheme, which is on land behind the George and Dragon pub, it does concede there are some minor positives, including a contribution to the borough's substantial new - and also affordable - housing shortage, a contribution to public transport infrastructure and a link to Linford Woods

However, these are considered to carry little weight against the overall negative aspects of the scheme.

Opposition to the scheme locally is almost universal. 278 comments were lodged on the council's planning portal when it asked for comment on the project - almost all of them negative.

The reasons residents give for the opposition include a lack of school places in the area, transport issues on roads that are already frequently gridlocked, dangerous access to the site and the environmental impact including the effect on water pressure.

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Despite many comments quoting transport as a key issue, one supporter of the scheme is Gordon Park, property and projects manager at c2c rail who says improvements at East Tilbury rail station that would be funded by the development would be welcome.

How the entry and exit point to the site sits between the Muckingford Lane roundabout and the rail crossing.

He also downplays fears of a new junction and the impact on the railway level crossing, saying: "Matters of level crossing safety are primarily dealt with by Network Rail and we now understand these issues have been fully dealt with to their satisfaction, as noted in their consultation response of 6th January 2022.

"c2c are supportive of upgrades to the station and indeed have been working with Thurrock Council within recent months to scope a package of works. We understand this has also been identified locally through the infrastructure requirement list.

"We can confirm that a shelter to the station platforms would improve the overall station experience."

The full details of the scheme can be viewed in the design and access statement prepared by the applicants via this link.

Cllr Massey is adamant that the scheme is not suitable in terms of size or location and says that even if the council approve it, the fight will go on.

That fight is likely to continue as the developers have already indicated that if they lose the application at this stage, they are minded to make an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

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Cllr Massey says: "Whatever the result of the planning committee next week I remain opposed fundamentally, because of the location and impact in the community. The road cannot cope, the crossing cannot cope, the schools, doctors etc. this is just too much on our green belt."

As such C2C has no further comments to add and has no objection to the proposed residential development proceeding subject to the delivery of the highway infrastructure including the right turn lane and repositioned bus lay-by in order to provide the forward visibility of the level crossing signage.