WITH south Essex facing the burden of tens of thousands more homes councillors have called on the Government to consider building new towns.

In the late Forties, Basildon become one of eight new towns created in south east England.

With arguments rumbling on about the state of local plans, which set out homes to be built over the next 20 years, councillors believe the Government should take advantage of open spaces across the country and try to emulate the success of Basildon.

Leading the charge is Castle Point councillor John Anderson, who called on his MP, Rebecca Harris, to push for new towns in the House of Commons.

His position has now gained supported from several councillors from across south Essex.

Mr Anderson said: “It is a serious and well known problem that many areas just don’t have the capacity for all of these new homes.

“What we need is new towns altogether.

“It is quite clear when you go beyond Chelmsford there are many open spaces going towards Braintree and all the way up to Peterborough.

“As a council, we are in between a rock and a hard place.

"On one hand we must have a plan for 4,000 more homes but we just don’t have the space.”

His comments come a week after Castle Point Council controversially threw out its draft local plan, meaning the Government could be forced to intervene.

The Tory administration has warned this could mean green belt will be given over to housing.

Castle Point MP Mrs Harris refused to throw her support behind the new town plan, venting her frustration the council had failed to agree its local plan.

She said: “Look, it isn’t an either or situation.

“There is a new town being built at Ebbsfleet, in Kent, Bicester and Greater Didcot in Oxfordshire, and there is talk of one in north Essex, which three north Essex councils are exploring the logistics of.

“Castle Point Council is only being asked to build as many homes over the next 20 that it calculates it needs.

“It doesn’t even have to build that many if it can show it’s not possible because of constraining factors such as green belt, flood risk or inadequate infrastructure.”

She said if the council fails to finalise its local plan by 2017, the Government would not enforce homes on the area if it was unable to cope.

It would instead work with communities to ensure the infrastructure was in place.

She added: “It is becoming frustrating the council has not yet agreed on a plan.”

While David Sheppard, a Ukip councillor in Basildon, understands the borough has to take on 15,000 new homes, he is open to the concept of new towns.

He said: “Just like everywhere else in the country we are being asked to come up with a plan for additional housing.

“It is important the process to build these homes in Basildon is democratic and we don’t build on green field sites.

"We don’t want Basildon becoming a concrete jungle.

“I think new towns could be a good idea, and some areas of north Essex are underdeveloped – but again, new towns should not be built on green field sites.”

Labour’s Ian Gilbert, Southend Council’s deputy leader, was also open to the call for new towns, arguing his borough simply does not have enough space for the number of homes it is being asked to build.

He said: “Whatever we do in Southend, we are limited by geographical constraints.

“We aren’t going to be able to provide as many houses as are needed.

“I would support other options.

“I’m quite sympathetic to the idea.”