A LEADING Thurrock councillor has spoken of her “bitter disappointment” after the planning inspectorate overturned a decision to refuse permission for up to 1,000 new homes on green belt land.

The planning inspectorate has approved plans for a development in Linford, East Tilbury of up to 830 homes if the Lower Thames Crossing is constructed or 1,000 homes if it does not go ahead.

In July developers Mulberry Strategic Land warned Thurrock’s planning committee the new Labour Government would be likely to overturn a decision to refuse the homes over their green belt location.

Despite employing a costly King’s Council for a three day public inquiry, the planning inspector allowed the appeal despite acknowledging harm to the green belt.

Lee Watson, councillor responsible for Good Growth, said: “I am bitterly disappointed by this decision. It’s the wrong development in the wrong place.

“It isn’t an appropriate use of our Green Belt, it takes up valuable agricultural land and it will put more strain on our roads.”

The application includes a new primary school, health centre, new road network and a pedestrian railway crossing.

The council received 180 objections to the proposal following consultations launched last year which closed in May. These included fears access to the site was unsafe, additional traffic, urban sprawl into the green belt and loss of farmland and wildlife.

However, the inspector said: “I have found that the proposed development would harm the Green Belt for reasons of inappropriateness and loss of openness. I have not found any other harms arising from the development proposed. I give substantial weight to the harms to the Green Belt.

“The proposal would, however, deliver market and affordable housing in an area with an extremely poor record of delivery of both, with no signs of this improving in the future. I have attributed very substantial weight to this.”

The inspector added: “ It would also deliver what is agreed to be a much-needed bridge over the railway line through East Tilbury, to which I have afforded significant weight.

“ Moderate weight accrues to benefits in relation to biodiversity, primary school provision, recreational facilities and economic impacts. These factors would, taken together, clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and harm to purposes. They are the very special circumstances required to justify the grant of planning permission for the proposed development.”