CONCERNS over plans to build on green belt land in Aveley will feature large at a meeting of Aveley Village Community Forum next week.

Many residents fear large scale housing schemes will swallow up substantial tracts of land in the area and in response to the Options for Aveley' proposal, recently published by the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation the Forum has arranged a meeting at Aveley Primary School to give interested parties a chance to discuss the issues.

It is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10, starting at 7pm.

Forum member Alan Field said: "There is at least one major housing developer who has responded to the Government initiative for at least 18,500 homes to be built in Thurrock.

"They have released outline proposals to build between 400 and 1,400 homes in Aveley. The Development Corporation, who have the power to grant planning permission for any development of 50 homes or greater, have outlined at least 380 homes for Aveley.

"The location proposed for these homes is all along the southern side of Aveley by-pass.

"The majority of residents who have expressed an opinion, appear not to be against the idea of locating some new homes in the Aveley area.

"However, many are concerned about the ability of already overstretched and overloaded infrastructure to cope with this huge increase.

"Many residents, along with Forum, have been asking for a new Medical Centre, an Intergenerational Community Centre (with improved Library, Public Halls, a Youth Centre, Radio Station and 10-12 small office/business units) and also the ability of schools, roads, and utilities to meet the demands!

"Please come and air your views, raise your concerns, ask questions and debate these important issues. You may approve, partially or fully with these plans and that also needs to be recorded."

The Forum will also be presenting some community projects for approval. These applications are for grants that must be discussed in the public domain and should only take about five or 10 minutes.