PLANS have been submitted to Thurrock Council to build 37 new homes on land in Chadwell St Mary.

The site, which will be accessed via a new entry road off St Johns Road and a recently developed site to the east called Oak Grove where there are 20 recently completed houses adjoining the Coward Warehousing Ltd site, is on what the applicants describe as 'of a difficult brown field site'.

Some of the new homes will be flats in three storey apartment blocks, while others will be a mix of 19 three and four bedroom homes.

The development is described as being similar to the existing new build houses on Oak Grove, which have been something of a bone of contention with existing residents. When planning permission was originally granted for the site, the council was told it would be a low cost family housing development and would fulfil a local housing need.

However, many of the new builds were snapped up by landlords and a deal was struck with the Home Office to house a number of people who were going through the asylum-seeking process.

That caused some concern within Thurrock Council. The housing portfolio holder at the time was Cllr Barry Johnson who said: ""An agency acting on behalf of the Home Office have placed a small number of refugees in privately rented properties in Chadwell St Mary.

"Thurrock Council was not given any notification of this arrangement and only became aware when the refugees visited the local library to see what help is available.

"The council has advised them and put them in touch with the British Red Cross who will be able to provide further support and assistance.

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"The council will be writing to the agents of the Home Office to raise our concerns about this situation, ask why we were not notified and what provision they are making for the refugees' welfare."

Many of the new homes on Oak Grove are already in a poor state of disrepair and the site is unkempt. Few of the open spaces at the front of houses are maintained and weeds have proliferated.

The proposed new development of homes is being described by the applicants as 'low cost housing' but a request accompanies the application that the council does not impose an affordable quotient on the development. Applicants say: "The viability assessment concludes the development is not viable if affordable housing is required and only nominal Section 106 payments can be made."

They add: "It is considered that the proposed comprehensive re-development of the St John's Road site including the public open space provision will benefit both the existing neighbourhood community and housing need."

That effectively means the developers do not wish to make any significant contribution to the local community and its infrastructure including medical and educational facilities - even though they will be bringing many new residents into an area where such services are already stretched.

The full application can be viewed via this link and there is also the opportunity to comment on the application.