Essex council withdraws local plan and refuses L&G green belt scheme

Castle Point council has withdrawn its local plan in a bid to protect “precious open spaces” in the Essex borough.

The council, which since 5 May has been controlled by independents, is ditching its 5,325-home plan and going back to the drawing board to build fewer homes.

A council spokesperson said: “Although the plan had been found sound, the council will prepare a new local plan that better reflects the needs of the borough and protects precious open spaces.”

Castle Point sits just outside Southend and covers areas including Benfleet and Canvey Island.

Councillors last week also refused permission for for-profit provider L&G Affordable Homes to build 44 homes on greenbelt land, in Thundersley, despite officers recommending it for approval.

Officers said any impact on the greenbelt was outweighed by “significant unmet need” for housing in the borough and the fact the site was allocated for housing in the local plan, saying even though the plan has not been adopted the evidence underpinning it remains “valid”.

Conservatives lost control of Castle Point in May to two groups of independents, the largest of which has pledged to rein in greenbelt development.

Castle Point is one of at least 14 councils that have withdrawn or put on hold their local plans, according to Savills. Local authorities are putting local plans on hold due to political uncertainty around the planning system following the introduction of the levelling up and regeneration bill to parliament.

Others have also been slowing up on local plans because of the government’s commitment to protect the green belt. In his party conference speech last October, Boris Johnson said houses should not be built on “green fields”.