25/01565/OUT Outwood Common Road (250 houses)
A proposal to build up to 250 houses in a strip running from Outwood Common Road to Coxes Farm Road.
Link to planning application
planning.basildon.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=T6DZXLCQIBX00&activeTab=summary
For help on how to comment please see Planning Application Help
For help on how to comment please see Planning Application Help
Deadline for objections
13 January 2026 NOW CLOSED
Summary of proposed development
These are some points taken from the planning application.
Please note that this is an outline application so the following is indicative. The final design could change at a later date other than the area of the site and the access point, as those are fixed if outline permission is granted.
1. Up to 250 houses.
2. 50% affordable housing.
3. Up to 3 storeys high.
4. 75% of properties are 3 bedroom or less.
5. All 1 & 2 bed flats will be affordable housing.
6. All 2 & 3 bedroom houses will be split between market sold and affordable housing.
7. Primary access from Outwood Common Road. Outwood Farm Road will be realigned at the estate junction.
8. Emergency access with bollards at Coxes Farm Road.
9. 12.5 hectares in total of with 40% will be open space.
10. Existing trees (including veteran and ancient), hedgerows and pond will be retained.
11. New tree planting.
12. Attenuation (drainage) ponds will be created. Flood zone 1 so minimum threat.
13. Bats, Great Crested Newts and breeding Red-Listed birds identified. Possible badger setts. Possible Hazel Dormice.
14. 10% Biodiversity Net Gain will be part delivered on-site with some off-site credits purchased.
15. New cycle and footpaths.
16. No existing public rights of way run through or near the site.
17. Part of allocation H1 in the emerging Basildon Local Plan. Green Belt Study 2025 parcel BI32.
18. No on-site facilities - education, health or shops.
19. No highways improvements other than access point on Outwood Common Road.
20. Site is 5% pre-developed. Buildings at Coxes Farm Road end will be demolished.
Please note that this is an outline application so the following is indicative. The final design could change at a later date other than the area of the site and the access point, as those are fixed if outline permission is granted.
1. Up to 250 houses.
2. 50% affordable housing.
3. Up to 3 storeys high.
4. 75% of properties are 3 bedroom or less.
5. All 1 & 2 bed flats will be affordable housing.
6. All 2 & 3 bedroom houses will be split between market sold and affordable housing.
7. Primary access from Outwood Common Road. Outwood Farm Road will be realigned at the estate junction.
8. Emergency access with bollards at Coxes Farm Road.
9. 12.5 hectares in total of with 40% will be open space.
10. Existing trees (including veteran and ancient), hedgerows and pond will be retained.
11. New tree planting.
12. Attenuation (drainage) ponds will be created. Flood zone 1 so minimum threat.
13. Bats, Great Crested Newts and breeding Red-Listed birds identified. Possible badger setts. Possible Hazel Dormice.
14. 10% Biodiversity Net Gain will be part delivered on-site with some off-site credits purchased.
15. New cycle and footpaths.
16. No existing public rights of way run through or near the site.
17. Part of allocation H1 in the emerging Basildon Local Plan. Green Belt Study 2025 parcel BI32.
18. No on-site facilities - education, health or shops.
19. No highways improvements other than access point on Outwood Common Road.
20. Site is 5% pre-developed. Buildings at Coxes Farm Road end will be demolished.
Points to consider when objecting
1. This is Green Belt. The land sits within parcel BI32 from the 2025 Green Belt Study and contributes strongly to Green Belt purposes (a) and (c) and therefore should not be considered as grey belt.
2. The area is 95% undeveloped productive agricultural land providing food security and local employment.
3. If approved, this development would create an ‘island’ of Green Belt to the west surrounded by new and existing development. This would contrary to planning guidance.
4. It is an edge of town location more than a 15-minute walk to many services and as such car use will be inevitable putting more traffic into the rural Outwood Common Road at its junction with Coxes Farm Road.
5. The estate access is on a tight bend on Outwood Common Road and could create a safety hazard.
6. With 300 houses being proposed adjacent to this development, also off Outwood Common Road, the totality of development must be considered from a traffic perspective. Also, the 315 houses being proposed on Greens Farm Lane.
7. This and other developments will increase the existing known congestion at the junction of Outwood Common Road and Southend Road for which no mitigation is proposed. Likewise, the junction with Greens Farm Lane.
8. Rat-running through Greens Farm Lane, Outwood Farm Road and adjacent residential estates is inevitable as drivers try to avoid congested roads, specifically Southend Road leading to Sun Corner. These roads are not suitable for increased traffic, especially the narrow and rural Outwood Farm Road.
9. There will inevitably be more traffic heading north on Outwood Common Road which is highly residential with minimal road capacity and many traffic pinch points.
10. The local primary schools are close to, or over, full capacity. This must be considered alongside other developments already approved, or that are being proposed, in the same area.
11. The development is not proposing any new health or education facilities, both of which are much needed in the area today before any new development is completed.
12. There is no doctor's surgery within easy walking distance of the site since the South Green Surgery closed. The nearest is on Chapel Street which is 1.5 miles and via a steep hill (Southend Road). A strenuous walk of 30 minutes would not be possible for many people, especially the elderly or those with young children.
13. It is 1.6 miles to the nearest secondary school and Billericay High Street, and almost 2 miles to Billericay rail station, again via the steep Southend Road.
14. Cycling will not be a feasible option for many people due to distance and geography, and there is no safe cycle way along Southend Road.
15. The fact that 10% Biodiversity Net Gain cannot be delivered totally on site, despite proposing to retain trees, hedgerows and a pond, highlights the richness of this site for bats, great crested newts, red listed breeding birds, and is a likely habitat for hazel dormice and badgers. A localised biodiversity loss is unacceptable. Off-site gain does not help the local environment.
16. It is inappropriate that the smaller properties (1- & 2-bedroom flats) are not being made available on the open market to provide local young people and first-time buyers with a relatively low-price entry point to home ownership. All such properties are being proposed as affordable housing. The 2- and 3-bedroom houses are likely to be out of the reach of many local people on local wage wishing to buy a property, and who do not qualify for the affordable housing.
17. The housing mix does not align with the latest Housing Need Assessment by proposing over 25% as 4- or 5-bedroom properties. Such properties should be no more than 20% of the development.
2. The area is 95% undeveloped productive agricultural land providing food security and local employment.
3. If approved, this development would create an ‘island’ of Green Belt to the west surrounded by new and existing development. This would contrary to planning guidance.
4. It is an edge of town location more than a 15-minute walk to many services and as such car use will be inevitable putting more traffic into the rural Outwood Common Road at its junction with Coxes Farm Road.
5. The estate access is on a tight bend on Outwood Common Road and could create a safety hazard.
6. With 300 houses being proposed adjacent to this development, also off Outwood Common Road, the totality of development must be considered from a traffic perspective. Also, the 315 houses being proposed on Greens Farm Lane.
7. This and other developments will increase the existing known congestion at the junction of Outwood Common Road and Southend Road for which no mitigation is proposed. Likewise, the junction with Greens Farm Lane.
8. Rat-running through Greens Farm Lane, Outwood Farm Road and adjacent residential estates is inevitable as drivers try to avoid congested roads, specifically Southend Road leading to Sun Corner. These roads are not suitable for increased traffic, especially the narrow and rural Outwood Farm Road.
9. There will inevitably be more traffic heading north on Outwood Common Road which is highly residential with minimal road capacity and many traffic pinch points.
10. The local primary schools are close to, or over, full capacity. This must be considered alongside other developments already approved, or that are being proposed, in the same area.
11. The development is not proposing any new health or education facilities, both of which are much needed in the area today before any new development is completed.
12. There is no doctor's surgery within easy walking distance of the site since the South Green Surgery closed. The nearest is on Chapel Street which is 1.5 miles and via a steep hill (Southend Road). A strenuous walk of 30 minutes would not be possible for many people, especially the elderly or those with young children.
13. It is 1.6 miles to the nearest secondary school and Billericay High Street, and almost 2 miles to Billericay rail station, again via the steep Southend Road.
14. Cycling will not be a feasible option for many people due to distance and geography, and there is no safe cycle way along Southend Road.
15. The fact that 10% Biodiversity Net Gain cannot be delivered totally on site, despite proposing to retain trees, hedgerows and a pond, highlights the richness of this site for bats, great crested newts, red listed breeding birds, and is a likely habitat for hazel dormice and badgers. A localised biodiversity loss is unacceptable. Off-site gain does not help the local environment.
16. It is inappropriate that the smaller properties (1- & 2-bedroom flats) are not being made available on the open market to provide local young people and first-time buyers with a relatively low-price entry point to home ownership. All such properties are being proposed as affordable housing. The 2- and 3-bedroom houses are likely to be out of the reach of many local people on local wage wishing to buy a property, and who do not qualify for the affordable housing.
17. The housing mix does not align with the latest Housing Need Assessment by proposing over 25% as 4- or 5-bedroom properties. Such properties should be no more than 20% of the development.
