Why are we against over-development?

We do want to see improvements to the town, which has suffered for many years from neglect by Basildon Council. Local roads are a disgrace, and the traffic congestion at peak times is almost unbearable. Whilst the Town Centre Masterplan has some good things to offer, we are told that this can only be achieved at the expense of some 598 new dwellings within the town centre area. This number is already increasing, as we can see by the current planning applications already passed. These are not included in the Masterplan, but are adding to the number of dwellings. It could be an oversight by the council, but we don't think so!

We are not happy about this, and dispute the council's view that almost 600 new dwellings are needed to pay for improvements. By attending council planning meetings, holding our own public meetings, and using this website, we hope to raise public awareness and participation, so that the council does what the residents want, and not the other way round! 

• For example, under the Masterplan, a planning application has been approved on appeal, 5 storey block at 3-31 Runwell Road, which includes 84 flats, with commercial uses at ground level (e.g. shops / restaurants etc). The current site is certainly an eyesore, and we would welcome some development, but why 5 storey?. Improvements could still be achieved with a more modest 3 storey development, with sufficient profit available to the developers but without it having such an over-imposing appearance and with less damage to the existing services (traffic congestion etc.). Of course, the higher the building, the bigger the profit!
  
  
• Another aspect we will be watching out for is other people jumping on the Masterplan bandwagon, i.e. submitting new planning applications for areas which lie within the Masterplan area, but which were not included in the plan. 
  Three examples are
  • 61 Station Avenue, by Angus & Dewers
  • 2-12 The Broadway, by Angus & Dewers
  • 5-7 Woodlands Road, by Childs Property

  All of these include extra accommodation, but add nothing to the town in terms of extra facilities, which were promised by the Masterplan.
  
  

• We will also be on the lookout for developers trying to dodge the 'S106' agreement. For example, one aspect of a robust S106 policy is an obligation for all planning applications which involve over 25 accommodation units to contribute to the funding for affordable housing. A recent application from the Metropolitan & County Group to build flats on top of 'New Look' (the old Co-op), was for just 24 flats, and so they get away without having to contribute to the town's infrastructure, even though they have only just completed 24 flats in the same block! If the council had an S106 policy like Chelmsfords', this would not have been allowed - they would have totalled the number on the same site - but Basildon do not have such protection for residents.