A HUGE new housing estate of 900 homes could be built on green belt land between Benfleet and Pitsea.

The Echo has seen plans drawn up by Castle Point Council’s planning department to develop privately-owned land at Jotmans Lane, Benfleet, stretching to the borders of Pitsea and Rayleigh Weir.

It is understood the plans have the support of Tory councillors, who are desperate to avoid upsetting voters by allowing development on green belt across the rest of the borough.

They think the Jotmans site would be ideal for a major housing development, as it is hardly surrounded by any existing homes.

However, David Head, 64, from Daws Heath, who is chairman of the Hands Off Our Greenbelt pressure group, said the plan would be unprecedented.

He said: “We’re totally against any building on green belt in Castle Point.

“We need to protect this land for our children and their children too.

“The borough has never seen a new development on this scale for generations, since they built New Thundersley in the Sixties.”

Councillors have been banned from commenting on the issue, but a Tory, who asked not to be named, said: “On the face of it, I would be inclined to support this plan.

“It would take pressure off other greenbelt sites which have been identified for development.

“There would still be a barrier of green space between Castle Point and Basildon after all the new homes had been built.”

Castle Point Council has been forced to review where new homes will be built in the borough over the next 15 years, following a damning report by the Government’s planning inspector Paul Crysell.

Mr Crysell was concerned many of the sites put forward in the authority’s Local Develop-ment Framework were unrealistic, and demanded it find new locations for 1,000 homes.

Councillors from all parties are set to cast a final vote on the issue at a council meeting on September 27.

Other green belt sites being considered for development include land to the north of Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, and to the west of Glebelands, Benfleet.