The Rochford District Development Committee will meet on Thursday 29 January 2026 at 7.30pm to decide whether to grant outline permission (application 25/00667/OUT) for up to 300 new homes on green belt land north of Brays Lane, on the border of Rayleigh and Ashingdon, Essex. The proposal has become a flashpoint among local people concerned about the impact additional residents could have on already busy roads, schools and local services.
The applicant, Bellway Strategic Land, proposes to build the houses on land north of Brays Lane. Bellway’s consultation materials say the scheme would deliver 50% affordable homes, which the company argues are needed to help local people onto the property ladder.
Ashingdon Parish Council has submitted a formal objection, citing the scheme’s scale, the potential urbanisation of rural lanes and concerns about surface water flooding on surrounding roads. In a consultee response reported in local media, Essex County Council said the Rayleigh Recycling Centre is operating “at or above capacity” at peak periods and has requested a developer contribution to improve the facility, rather than stating it can categorically accept no further waste from additional households.
The decision comes while Rochford District Council is still preparing a new Local Plan (currently at the Regulation 18 stage). Critics say approving a large outline application now would be premature and could circumvent the strategic planning process being developed for the district.
The committee will be asked to decide on the principle of development and the proposed access arrangements (the application is outline with all matters reserved except access). Documents for application 25/00667/OUT are available on the Rochford District Council planning portal ahead of the Development Committee meeting on Thursday 29 January 2026 at 7.30pm.
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