I share resident's concerns about the potential of 1800 new homes being built on Green Belt at North Benfleet Hall Farm. If you have not already I would urge you to take part in the consultation here: croudace-northbenfleet.co.uk/feedback/ 

You can find my initial response to the developers below:

"I am writing on behalf of the people of the villages of Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet, and the neighbouring Borough of Castle Point, to object to your proposal to cram in a development of 1800 homes on Green Belt at North Benfleet Hall Farm.

Since I was first elected as a local MP in 2010, I have always stood with residents when they oppose the development of the treasured and unspoiled local Green Belt that is so central to the semi-rural character of the local villages and towns they surround. This is one such case.

In the eyes of local residents, the semi-rural village feel of Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet is what makes the area a great place to live. In fact, it is why many residents moved there in the first place. This huge development risks wiping out the village feel so central to the identity of Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet, in effect making the area into a dormitory town.

The Bowers Gifford Parish Council are opposed to development of this scale on this location and they have my full support. Whilst they take the measured approach of supporting a development of around four hundred to five hundred homes on part of the site, as the democratic body closest to the community and the families that live in the local area, they have deep concerns about the strain on every aspect of local infrastructure this development would impose, and its effect on the every-day life of residents who already live here. As a developer promoting this site I urge you to engage closely with the parish council and both listen to and act on their concerns.

As you are aware, the local planning authority Basildon Borough Council are in the process of putting together a new Local Plan. I understand that Basildon Borough Council are facing huge pressure to build from central government, not least due to the Deputy Prime Minister creating a mandatory housing target far greater than their previously objectively assessed housing need. I also understand that new government legislation that could see farmland being compulsory purchased for development and move to reclassify some Green Belt as ‘Grey Belt’ has put pressure on local landowners. However, Basildon Borough Council have not yet finished their plan and the Council lists a number of negative planning factors related to the use of this site for housing in their site assessment report. These include concerns about pollution, distance from economic centres, proximity to protected habitats, and flood risk.

One of the biggest issues of concern, not just for residents in Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet, but also for the residents of Canvey Island, South Benfleet and Thundersley, is road infrastructure and transport. The local road network is creaking already and neither Pound Lane, nor Sadlers Farm, will be able to take the extra traffic movements from this site without significant investment that you make no mention of. This also needs to be taken in the context of the development of the Castle Point Borough Council Local Plan, which again thanks to central government housing targets, is likely to see significant development that will also add pressure to the already overloaded Sadlers Farm junction.

I can think of no better way to illustrate the problem than to invite the directors of the development company to accompany me on a drive from the development site to Canvey Island seafront for an ice cream at 6:00PM on a working weeknight of their choosing. I would be grateful if you could extend that invitation on my behalf.

If and when you decide to submit a planning application for this development, I will go into detail on behalf of residents at that stage depending on the specifics of the application, but these are issues that clearly make the principle of such a large scale development on that site unviable.

In the meantime, I am grateful that you have begun to consult with local residents and stakeholders so early in the process. I am also grateful that you have taken on board my request for further consultation events.

On behalf of the residents of Bowers Gifford, North Benfleet and the whole Borough of Castle Point, I would be very grateful if you would take on board the concerns of local residents with the principle of the proposed development and pass onto the developers the message that local residents are wholly opposed to development of such a huge and unviable scale on that site."