THURROCK Council this week voiced their disapproval at a major new housing development earmarked for Stanford-le-Hope

Developers Hills Residential and Mersea Homes, have put forward ambitious plans to build 250 homes on Stanhope Industrial Park, on Wharf Road, as well as promising cash injections to local schools, affordable housing and a community benefit donation.

But at a planning committee, the council voted to recommended that the proposals be chucked out and that the industrial park is kept as an area of trade and not a residential estate.

The plans could still be pushed through if the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation (TTGDC) who can now overule Thurrock Council on major planning issues, decide to give the developers the green light.

If the TTGDC also rejects the plans as well then the 300,000 square foot site could be developed to its full industrial capacity, which would lead to as many as 550 lorry movements in a typical 12 hour period.

Jonathan Hills, of Hills Residential and Mersea Homes, said: "We are very disappointed that the council has decided that the industrial proposals are more appropriate for the community. We believe that the best use of the site is not for a large industrial occupier, particularly as it seems that Shell Haven is going ahead.

"However, the option of nothing happening on the site is simply not possible. If we fail to gain permission for housing and the application is refused, the site will revert to heavy industry and would be developed out to its full extent. This is probably not something we would do and the site will be sold to an industrial developer or occupier."

The council denied that if the site is converted into a purely industrial zone then there would be an increase in traffic, saying that 250 new homes would bring a huge number of cars and other vehicles to the area.

The planning committee also heard that the projected 18,500 homes that are to be built in the borough under the Thames Gateway development should provide sufficient accommodation for the new jobs that will be created in the borough by the likes of the Shell Haven development.

Despite onjections from residents in Wharf Road, who petitioned the council, the residential development received a positive response from other Stanford residents when a public consultation exercise took place last month.

Terry Piccolo, vice-chariman of Stanford-le-Hope's HOPE committee, said: "We realise that the site does need to be developed, but we are against the industrial development."