PLANS to build a new housing estate on former green belt in Stanford-le-Hope are back - after two years in limbo.

The 153-home development, a mixture of two, three and four bedroom homes on a triangle piece of land near the Manorway, between the railway and Victoria Road, had stalled.

This was because there were serious concerns as to whether superport bosses, DP World, would need part of the land for its recently completed Manorway improvement works.

The proposals, originally for more than 180 homes, were given the go-ahead in 2012 by the now defunct Development Corporation which had released the land from the green belt, but that permission to build expired last year.

Now firm C & S Associates is looking to revive plans - and residents are not sure they like it.

Steven Evans of Victoria Road, wrote to the council’s planning department to object and said: “I feel that the proposal is inappropriate use of greenbelt land and therefore should not be developed.”

He, like others, said that the land has a tendency to flood.

Commenting on Facebook, Liz Turrell said: “I thought this was green belt land, and it does get very wet at times. It is very low as well.”

However Paul Mathews, who lives in Corringham, said: “It’s an ideal site. It can't really be used for anything else.”

James Masfield, also commenting on Facebook, added: “It's simple with the port they need more people.

“More people, more houses, more cars, more pollution.

“They knew this all along and it’s happening now, building on our green belt.”

The design inspiration for the homes is being drawn from picturesque villages in Essex, such as North Stifford and Finchingfield, a village in the north of the county.

A new access road to the site is planned to be built off the roundabout beneath the Manorway which joins Southend Road with Victoria Road.

A council spokesman said: “This site was one that the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation considered acceptable and is now shown as a housing site. The scheme is back and will be determined by July 1, 2014.”