IT’S feared 299 homes set to be built on green belt land in East Tilbury will “devastate” the village’s infrastructure.

Developer Colonnade has got the go ahead to start work on Bata Field, after 820 letters of objection from residents and opposition by the Development Corporation and Thurrock Council was ignored by the Secretary of State.

Independent ward councillor Barry Palmer says he is “angry and disappointed” at the news.

He said: “To say I am disappointed would be putting it very mildly.

“This is going to have a devastating affect on the ward and its infrastructure.

“We are not being nimby, its not the number of homes or the location, its the effect on education, the roads, and the facilities.

”820 people took the time to put pen to paper and express their concerns about this and they have been ignored, completely disregarded.”

A resident of Princess Margaret Road, who did not want to be named, said everyone is particularly worried about an increase in traffic at the level crossing.

She said: “Level crossing closures already causes massive delays, tail-backs, and frustration to industrial and private motorists.

“Further increase in private and service traffic generated by this development would undoubtedly increase this problem significantly.

“At any one time several thousand people can be trapped within the area with no escape, or access for emergency services for the duration of the closure, which is often lengthy.”

Thurrock Council objected to the development because it said it did not have the special circumstances required to overide the rule preventing the development of green belt land.

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation was the determining authority for the application but it did not make a decision in time, and so Colonnade was able to make an successful appeal to the secretary of state.

A spokesman for the DC said it would now seek legal advice.

She said: “The Development Corporation Planning Committee resolved that, had it determined the planning application, it would have been refused.

“The Secretary of State determined the application allowing the appeal and granting outline planning permission for residential development up to 299 dwellings, subject to planning conditions.

“The Development Corporation is taking legal advice on the decision.”