- Greens join protest to save Bournes Green Chase – Campaigners oppose plans for over 10,000 new homes on protected farmland, on top of the Government’s 23,000+ housing target for Southend.
- Call for realistic housing numbers – Southend needs 507 affordable homes a year, not the Government’s inflated targets, while 1.4 million approved homes nationwide remain unbuilt.
- Protect our Greenbelt – Once farmland is lost, it’s gone forever; developers should build on existing brownfield sites instead of concreting over the land that provides food, clean air, and wildlife habitats.
The Southend Green Party joined campaigners on Saturday to oppose plans to build over Greenbelt land at Bournes Green Chase, over 10,000 new homes on top of the 23,000+ already set by Government housing targets.
The protest, held outside the Odeon on Southend High Street, heard speeches from local residents and campaigners condemning the New Towns Taskforce proposals being pushed through as part of Southend’s Local Plan.
“Concrete doesn’t grow crops. Once prime farmland is lost, it’s gone for good. Food security is vital, yet the council is backing plans to concrete over land that improves air quality, supports wildlife, and produces food. Residents must speak up in the Local Plan consultation.”
Tricia Cowdrey, Green Party campaigner and East Beach Residents’ Association member.
“We need housing, but we need the right housing – truly affordable and social housing sustainably. The Council’s own figures show Southend needs around 507 affordable homes a year, far less than the Government’s unrealistic targets. These numbers simply don’t match reality.”
Kay Mitchell, Green Party campaigner,
“This proposal is nonsensical – there are 1.4 million homes with planning permission still waiting to be built. Developers are land-banking to drive up prices with no appetite for affordable homes. Southend is a peninsula with inadequate transport infrastructure, we can’t keep sprawling into neighbouring towns with dysfunctional urban planning creating car dependancy, our roads are already at capacity and cannot be widened. We must protect the Metropolitan Greenbelt.”
Cllr Richard Longstaff, Green Party councillor for Leigh Ward
The Green Party is urging residents to take part in the Local Plan consultation, especially section 3b — to protect Southend’s green spaces.
Residents can find this at localplan.southend.gov.uk.
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