THURROCK Council's new look planning committee will meet for the first time next week and among several significant items of local controversy on the agenda is a plan to build up to 140 new homes on a site in Chadwell St Mary.

The proposal, for land west of Lytton Road adjacent to River View on the edge of Chadwell was submitted early last year when Thurrock Nub News reported on the application and local residents' objections.

After more than a year of consideration, the matter will come before the council's planning committee on Thursday, 10 June and is being rejected for refusal by planning officers.

The plan is for 91 private homes for sale at market value and while there would be 49 affordable homes. All the properties concerned are a mixture of four and three bedroomed houses and two and one bed flats.

The full report put before next week's committee can be viewed here.

A neighbouring site opposite nearby Palmer's College was controversially given planning approval by the former planning committee, despite also being in the green belt. The original decision to approve was contested by officers but a majority of councillors stuck to their guns when it came up again.

The green belt status is the main reason for rejection of the current application, say officers, who add in a report: "The application site is located within the Green Belt. National and local planning policies for the green belt set out a presumption against inappropriate development in the green belt. The proposals are considered to constitute inappropriate development with reference to policy and would by definition be harmful to the green belt."

The planning committee, which is still chaired by Conservative Cllr Tom Kelly, has been completely reshaped following recent local elections and the council's annual meeting.

Aside from Cllr Kelly, Conservative Colin Churchman, Labour's Mike Fletcher and independent Gary Byrne remain from the previous committee.

Labour's Steve Liddiard returns to the planning committee as vice chairman and new members include Tories James Halden, Terry Piccolo and Georgette Polley. Newly elected Labour councillor Lee Watson also sits on the committee.

Substitute members are Tories Abbie Akinbohun, Susan Little and Elizabeth Rigby and Labour's Qaisar Abbas and Bukky Okunade.

Stephen Taylor remains as a non-voting member representing the Campaign to Protect Rural England.