THE power to stop a controversial housing development scheme in a Thurrock village lies in the hands of 21 council tenants.

The proposal is one of 20 schemes put forward by regeneration officers to create 500 new council houses in the borough.

It would see 21 council houses pulled down and a number of private residences compulsorily purchased and also demolished.

As exclusively reported by Thurrock Nub News, which broke the story at the beginning of February, the site would host 55 new homes.

Later last month the council's cabinet gave the go-ahead for formal consultation with residents - though two of the schemes have already been pulled by housing portfolio Cllr Barry Johnson.

However, residents have been outraged and at a public meeting it seems the Orsett scheme will go the same way as others at Corringham and South Ockendon and be abandoned.

At a residents' meeting at A packed Orsett Village Hall this afternoon (Sunday, 8 March) Cllr Johnson - who is also a ward councillor for Orsett - came under a barrage of sustained criticism about the scheme.

Residents were angry about the lack of earlier information, what would happen to them and where they would go and the impact of the new homes on the village infrastructure.

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Cllr Johnson repeatedly told residents the consultation process would take full account of local residents' views but it had to be a formal response.

Residents wanted him to listen to them at the meeting and make a decision to scrap the plans today.

He said he could not do that but was clearly minded to reach a compromise and so told the meeting if the council house residents who were set to be displaced all responded and rejected the scheme, he would scrap it straight away.

He has promised to write a letter tomorrow and he and fellow ward councillor Sue Little, who took notes at the meeting, would deliver them by hand by Tuesday.

The letter will contain a pro-forma which holds the key to moving the matter on. If residents sign it and return it rejecting the scheme he said he would be able to withdraw it immediately.

Thurrock Nub News attended the meeting and broadcast it live. You can watch it HERE