Billericay residents must wait until March to find out if their homes are to be affected by a new development.

It has been revealed that a decision on the controversial housing plan for Perry Street won't be resolved until councillors have more information about the houses which are to be built there.

More than 40 outraged neighbours voiced their concerns about the plan at a meeting of Basildon Council's environment committee.

In response members agreed to defer a decision until they had more detail. Developers want to demolish two bungalows and erect five new houses with garages on the site at 69-77 Perry Street.

Billericay area committee referred the application to Basildon Council after planning officers said there were no substantial grounds for refusal. Conditional planning permission is recommended.

Councillor Matt Barr (Billericay West, Lib Dem) said officers admitted they had not made comparisons of the height of buildings in Perry Street.

"These will now be carried out. He said: "This development is not in keeping with the surrounding area. I would like to see us turn this down and take on the applicant at appeal.

"But we are so scared of doing this that we are not prepared to fight applications."

Councillor Loraine Rossati, chairman of the environment committee, said a site visit would be made because it was difficult to judge the impact the development would have."

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