Billericay District Residents' Association
incorporating the Billericay Action Group
PLANNING MATTERS
MARCH UPDATE
There is no new news on the emerging Basildon Local Plan while we await the publication of a revised version ahead of the next Regulation 19 public consultation. This is likely to be close to the final iteration of the plan. Basildon council aims to reach this stage by the end of March but we feel that is ambitious and unrealistic considering the amount of work yet to be completed.
As you are no doubt aware, Local Government Reorganisation is taking place just now with Basildon Borough joining with one or more other local boroughs to form a new Unitary Authority. The same is happening right across Essex.
From a Local Plan perspective this is going to have some significant impact as all of the nearby boroughs are also working in their new and individual Local Plans. It raises the question of why the Government doesn’t pause these plans to allow the new Unitary Authorities to create a Local Plan that properly reflects the needs of the new larger area, and population, those authorities will cover. We have concerns that trying to crash together a number of separate plans will be a mess and won’t deliver the best outcome for local people. Economies of scale, and perhaps better places to build, will be missed by the current piecemeal approach.
But frustratingly the Government seems to be ploughing ahead with putting pressure on the existing Borough councils to get their plans done regardless, no doubt aligned to their desire to see an excessive number of houses built come what may. Frankly, is poor and far from joined up thinking, and bad planning.
We will provide further updates in future editions of The Resident, or you can check the latest position at www.billericayactiongroup.org.uk.
Lost Forever - Basildon Borough Council approve 250 houses, off Laindon Road, adjacent to FrithwoodThis view could be lost forever following last month’s decision by Basildon Borough Council’s Planning Committee to approve a planning application for 250 houses on Green Belt land west of Laindon Road running across the rich farmland to Frithwood Lane and ancient Frith Wood. The primary justification was a dire shortage of new property and a somewhat convenient reclassification of the land as ‘grey belt’ under very new planning guidance, supported by a recent Green Belt Study, that weakens the protection of much of the land around Billericay. This is clearly a very sad and worrying outcome, potentially setting the scene for what is to come in the future, with several other planning applications awaiting a decision. However, the application is now subject to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government considering calling-in the application for review and we have started lobbying for that to happen. We would like to thank the several hundred residents that objected to this application, and very specifically those that attended the planning committee meeting and spoke out in public. As always, resident action and involvement is important. We must use our voices. |
Maitland Lodge, South Green
Update
In January 2026 the planning committee voted to allow the removal of the affordable homes on the Maitland Lodge development and to accept an initial payment of ?1,047,000, with the possibility of this being increased at a later stage, in lieu.
A planning executive from the council stated that the money would go towards the council’s acquisition of affordable housing at Kennel Lane.
In what was at times a very technical debate, residents and councillors raised a number of key points, and obviously thanks to them for doing so. in particular whether this would set a precedent for other developers wishing to do likewise, especially on the major developments that we have seen approved since the end of 2024 where the 50% affordable homes has been a ‘golden rule’.
It was explained by the council’s planning legal representative that this would not be the case as the National Planning Policy Framework states that the application of financial viability tests in such circumstances is not allowed.
The development at Maitland Lodge was approved several years before this planning policy was introduced and it cannot be applied in retrospect.
News from Basildon Council
The government decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) confirms that the county will move to five new unitary councils.
The creation of five unitary councils - West Essex Council, North East Essex Council, Mid Essex Council, South West Essex Council and South East Essex Council - will replace the current 15 councils across Greater Essex from April 2028.
The new unitary authorities will be:
Basildon, Thurrock
Braintree, Colchester, Tendring
Brentwood, Chelmsford, Maldon
Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford
Rochford, Castle Point, Southend-on-Sea
The Government has confirmed their commitment to repayment in-principle of £200m of Thurrock Council debt.
