David Arnold, Gazette, 4 July 2007

THE prospect of a park much loved by families being concreted over for a major housing development has provoked an angry response from residents.
   Gleeson Homes has submitted an outline application to build a maximum of 200 new homes on the Barn Hall park land in Wickford.
   But local groups are upset the area, popular with families and dog walkers, was not confirmed as Green Belt in Basildon council's Local Plan - leaving it open to development proposals.
   A spokesman for the Wickford Action group. Alan Ball, said: "We lay the blame of this solely on Basildon council and I have told them that.
   "They didn't get the local plan in order and consequently the area didn't become Green Belt.
   "It went under special reserve, which doesn't really mean anything. Councillors have told me this was an oversight.
   "The nightmare scenario is that if the Wickford master plan and this development go together, then the whole area will be completely clogged 
up."
   Council leader Malcolm Buckley reacted angrily to suggestions it was an oversight.
   He said: "Mr Ball is wrong.  "We will be opposing the plans, but there is a live planning application in place and that has to be dealt with.
   "The area is special reserve because it was earmarked as an area to develop in the future, should we fail below our housing numbers in available brownfield sites, which we haven't."
   Matt Richardson, strategic planner for Gleeson Homes, said: The site had originally been earmarked for housing by the council.
   'There is a shortfall in housing in the area, especially affordable homes which the council needs to deliver.
   "Moreover, our studies show the site be highly sustainable, due to its close proximity to the rail station within distance of the town centre
   "Following discussions with the council and public consultations, the application, provides different layouts to show how and why we believe the site can work."