Plans for a motel on green belt land in Benfleet has been recommended for approval.

The ambitious development at Sadlers Farm roundabout on the A13 at Benfleet was backed by Castle Point Council - amid claims it goes against policies preventing development on protected green belt land.

The scheme will now be considered by Go-East, the regional office of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott which will make a final decision.

The plans were submitted by the Oysterfleet Hotel, which currently has a site on Canvey.

It is for a pub with function suite, restaurant and 60 bedroom motel on land next to the notorious traffic blackspot and chaos, on the eastern side of Canvey Way - the main access route on to the island.

Tory councillor Ray Howard voted in favour of the development.

He said: "This location is in the gateway of our borough but unlike Rochford and Basildon districts we have very little hotel accommodation.

"We only have one hotel on Canvey which is bursting at the seams.

"We are also very short of jobs in this borough, 18,000 in total, and we have agreed in principle but the application will now go to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister."

Only one councillor, John Anderson, voted against the mammoth project.