Angry Billericay councillors have slammed Basildon Council's decision to ignore fierce local opposition to a new pub on the High Street and give the developers the all clear.

National pub chain JD Wetherspoon's plans for a real ale bar on the site of the former Co-op store were rejected by Billericay councillors last month.

The move came amid fears about the dwindling number of traditional shops at the north end of the High Street and the quality of life of local residents.

Some residents also expressed concerns that the new bar would add to the large number of young people who already hang around the area at night.

But at a meeting last week, Basildon Council's environment committee voted to overturn that decision and gave the plans the go-ahead, insisting that the council 'can't dictate the market'.

Reacting to the decision, Conservative Billericay councillor Peter Patrick said: "I am very disappointed. They are not paying any attention at all to what the local people would prefer.

"I am afraid that, to my mind, Billericay has lost out in this instance."

His Liberal Democrat colleague, Cllr Mark Hersom agreed: "It's a bit galling to see the local people on the Billericay Area Committee representing the views of the area, which we did, only to see the decision overruled."

The decision was made all the more puzzling for Billericay councillors by the committee's decision to throw out a plan to transform the nearby Kitts Hardware store into a restaurant.

Defending the decision at last week's meeting, Cllr Loraine Rossati, the Labour chairman of the environment committee, said: "I do hear what members and members of the public are saying about wanting to retain it as a retail site.

"However, we as a local authority can't dictate the market. If we turn this down the site could be empty for six months, a year, two years without anybody coming forward to run it as a retail store.

"We can only make decisions based on planning law and I can't see any reason to turn this down."

Attempting to reassure local people, Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We feel that the style of pub we run - with no music, no pool tables and no video - attracts a good cross section of people, and we have won several awards over the years which is a testament to the fact that we run good pubs."

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