A LEADING Basildon councillor has said he is "extremely unhappy" with his own council's planning team following the launch of an appeal for more than 900 homes in Billericay.

Developers who want permission to build 910 homes at Foots Farm, off Southend Road say Basildon Council has taken too long in processing the application and now, potentially, it could be being taken out of the hands of Basildon Council and into the responsibility of the planning inspectorate.

This has sparked a response from Mayor of Basildon and Leader of the Reform UK Group Cllr Sam Journet who is also vice chairman of the planning committee.

He said: "I'm extremely unhappy that Basildon Council's planning team failed to bring this application for 910 homes before the planning committee in time, homes that could have a huge impact on our green belt. When deadlines are missed, elected members lose their democratic say and our countryside is left exposed to development by appeal.

"Residents expect us to protect the green belt. Reform UK and other members cannot do that with one hand tied behind our backs."

The application from Obsidian Strategic, Brentwood Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustee and H.R. Philpot & Son Barleylands Limited says the proposed development represents "not inappropriate" development in the green belt and the site should be considered grey belt.

Permission for a solar farm and associated battery storage facility, found to the east of the site, was granted in October 2024. Although the proposed development was deemed to constitute inappropriate development and harm to the Green Belt, Very Special Circumstances were demonstrated. An application for 47 new homes to the west of the site was allowed after a non-determination appeal in November 2022.

Councillor Journet's comments come about a week after several hundred homes were formally refused despite the area having one of the country's lowest rates of housing delivery. Plans for up to 420 homes on land off Laindon Road Billericay were refused on the basis of inappropriate development in the green belt at a meeting on August 19.

At the same meeting a planning application for 325 homes on land north and south of Barn Hall Station Road Wickford was also refused on the basis of inappropriate development in the green belt. Another 71 homes on land of London Road Crays Hill was also refused due to inappropriate development on the green belt.

The meeting had earlier heard from officers at Basildon Council that the area has only delivered 23 per cent of its housing requirement. The developer behind the refused plans for 49 homes off Potash Road in Billericay said the figure "places the council amongst the poorest performing authorities in the country".

Following that meeting Councillor Journet said: "I fought passionately for residents and against plans that would have seen around 1,000 homes built on our green belt. Reform UK said we'd fight to protect it. That means turning up, making the argument and voting to save it."