Please click HERE to see our analysis of the Government's plans to reform the planning system and what it could mean to our area.
Click HERE to see our responses to the Government consultation on the reforms.
Click HERE to see our responses to the Government consultation on the reforms.
Billericay Remains Under Seige!
The relentless attack on Billericay’s Green Belt shows no end.
Having seen three sites approved in recent years, totalling 335 dwellings, we now have a further five sites awaiting a planning application decision for a further 988 dwellings. With at least two more planning applications for 690 dwellings expected this year.
That’s a total of over 2,000 dwellings if approved!
Please note that we use the term dwellings to capture all housing types, whether flats, apartments, houses, retirement places or sheltered accommodation units, but the vast majority are houses. We have excluded care homes but they too are being approved in the Green Belt.
There is clearly a need for more housing, but building to this scale in the Green Belt won't fix the housing 'crisis'. Prices will remain high and that first hone will remain an unaffordable dream to many local people on local average wage.
Having seen three sites approved in recent years, totalling 335 dwellings, we now have a further five sites awaiting a planning application decision for a further 988 dwellings. With at least two more planning applications for 690 dwellings expected this year.
That’s a total of over 2,000 dwellings if approved!
Please note that we use the term dwellings to capture all housing types, whether flats, apartments, houses, retirement places or sheltered accommodation units, but the vast majority are houses. We have excluded care homes but they too are being approved in the Green Belt.
There is clearly a need for more housing, but building to this scale in the Green Belt won't fix the housing 'crisis'. Prices will remain high and that first hone will remain an unaffordable dream to many local people on local average wage.
The map above primarily shows the sites (Hxx) from the now withdrawn Local Plan highlighting that this is where planning applications are being targeted. That is somewhat expected and understandable. However, a new site on Outwood Common Road has emerged. The numbers on the map show the number of houses that were proposed in that Local Plan. The boxes around the map show the current numbers, whether approved, rejected or awaiting a decision. Some have reduced.
The irony of the situation being that those approved so far were to address the urgent need and demand for housing but to date not a single house has been started, let alone completed. Some permissions have been in place for over 2 years. But the land was lost from the Green Belt for good as soon as the permission was granted.
And the same argument of the need for more housing will no doubt be a significant factor in determining other planning applications.
It raises serious questions about whether the need and demand exists in the first place. If people are queuing up to buy, as we are constantly being told, then surely there would be more urgency to build!
Basildon borough as a whole has approvals in place for approaching 7,000 dwellings but can only predict that less that 2,000 will be built over the next 5 years against a ‘need’ target of just over 5,000. As a result the borough is highly vulnerable to what might be called 'speculative' planning applications and is likely to approve them just to hit the targets. And if they do reject applications, appeals are likely with unpredictable outcomes.
Furthermore, not one of the planning applications propose additional education or health facilities. The need is recognised but no solution is tabled. Pressures on our already crumbling infrastructure will get worse by approving more and more development. Basildon council has almost no control over, or sway with, Essex Education or the NHS to ensure that key services cater for an ever increasing population. Likewise our roads. The word of Essex Highways rules in that regard.
Whilst this may all read like doom and gloom, recent history has shown that it is possible to reject applications and have appeals dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate, as evidenced on Potash Road and Outwood Common Road.
It is therefore not a foregone conclusion that applications will be approved and the Green Belt remains worth fighting for.
Please keep the faith. Please object to applications. We will provide real time updates and information on our Facebook group ‘Save Billericay From Housing Developments’. The link can be found on this page.
Please visit that page and join if you want to preserve the Green Belt and the character of Billericay.
And the same argument of the need for more housing will no doubt be a significant factor in determining other planning applications.
It raises serious questions about whether the need and demand exists in the first place. If people are queuing up to buy, as we are constantly being told, then surely there would be more urgency to build!
Basildon borough as a whole has approvals in place for approaching 7,000 dwellings but can only predict that less that 2,000 will be built over the next 5 years against a ‘need’ target of just over 5,000. As a result the borough is highly vulnerable to what might be called 'speculative' planning applications and is likely to approve them just to hit the targets. And if they do reject applications, appeals are likely with unpredictable outcomes.
Furthermore, not one of the planning applications propose additional education or health facilities. The need is recognised but no solution is tabled. Pressures on our already crumbling infrastructure will get worse by approving more and more development. Basildon council has almost no control over, or sway with, Essex Education or the NHS to ensure that key services cater for an ever increasing population. Likewise our roads. The word of Essex Highways rules in that regard.
Whilst this may all read like doom and gloom, recent history has shown that it is possible to reject applications and have appeals dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate, as evidenced on Potash Road and Outwood Common Road.
It is therefore not a foregone conclusion that applications will be approved and the Green Belt remains worth fighting for.
Please keep the faith. Please object to applications. We will provide real time updates and information on our Facebook group ‘Save Billericay From Housing Developments’. The link can be found on this page.
Please visit that page and join if you want to preserve the Green Belt and the character of Billericay.
