A planning inspector has allowed Mulberry Strategic Land’s plans for up to 1,000 homes on Green Belt land in East Tilbury.
The applicant’s plans for up to 830 homes if the Lower Thames Crossing goes ahead or 1,000 homes if it does not, on a 74.4-hectare site off Muckingford Road, Linford (pictured above), were given the thumbs down by Thurrock Council’s planning committee in July.
But Mulberry’s appeal on the grounds of non-determination has been upheld by planning inspector Richard Schofield.
In his report he states: “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 council received 180 objections to the proposal following consultations launched last year. These included fears access to the site was unsafe, additional traffic, urban sprawl into the Green Belt and loss of farmland and wildlife.
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