Last week, Rebecca responded to the latest application to develop Green Belt land at Jotmans Farm:
I have stood shoulder to shoulder with residents many times to defend this treasured Green Belt site on the edge of Benfleet, and together we will fight again.
The previous Government defended Jotmans Farm all the way to the High Court. Sadly, I have little confidence that the current Labour Government would do the same. That means our planning arguments must be stronger than ever.
This latest proposal is for around 650 homes, accessed from a new roundabout on the A130. It would put huge extra pressure on our local road network and make journeys to and from Canvey even more difficult.
Disappointingly, the developer has relied on the Council’s own Green Belt Assessment, which underpins Jotmans Farm’s designation as ‘Potential Grey Belt’, as part of its case for development. I opposed the Council’s previous Local Plan because it proposed building on Jotmans Farm, and I oppose the current draft Plan because it labels this important site as ‘Potential Grey Belt’. I warned councillors they should never have accepted that designation. In my view, it leaves Jotmans more vulnerable if Labour forces changes to the Local Plan or does to Castle Point what it has just done in Basildon by intervening in its emerging plan.
I will work with residents to build the strongest possible planning case against this development and, if it goes to appeal, I will once again be there to represent our community.
We beat proposals like this before. I really hope we can beat it again. I will never stop fighting to protect Jotmans Farm, every other green field Green Belt site residents treasure, and the character of our community.
