Basildon council reveals total of 28,000 house plans submitted
Plans have been revealed
Last updated 13th Aug 2026
A full list of where 28,000 new homes could be built across Basildon has been released. Basildon Council has published its Proposed Submission Local Plan and is inviting final comments before it goes to an independent Planning Inspector for examination.
The plan has already sparked uproar. Among the sites are three in around Great Burstead totalling up to more than 4,600 homes – up to 2,750 on land south east of Billericay, up to 250 on land to the west, and up 1,450 on land south of the area. Building of up to 180 homes on land at Kennel Lane is already underway.
The parish council has said: “There is no evidence that the Village of Great Burstead and South Green needs all the new housing which will more than double its size. New homes may be needed but not on this gigantic scale.
“The amount of extra vehicles in the parish will damage the environment with emission pollution. The impact will be terrible for residents’ health with long term effects for future generations.”
All councils are required to have an up-to-date Local Plan to help guide future development and make sure decisions are based on a clear strategy, rather than being considered one site at a time.
Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook had written to Councillor Andy Barnes, leader of Basildon Borough Council demanding a final formal public consultation on where the council thinks 28,000 homes should be built between 2027 to 2042. The government adds submission of the plan to the inspector for examination should happen no later than December 31.
After plans were drawn up by the previous Labour administration, Basildon Council’s Reform and Tory groups are calling for the proposals to be scaled back. Tory Councillor Barnes has said the plans cannot proceed without significant infrastructure investment.
A motion passed by the council in July backed by the Tory and Reform groups has said the housing figure must be withdrawn and Basildon’s allocation recalculated.
Councillor Barnes said then: “We should write to the government and make it clear that whilst we cannot stop them imposing a local plan on us, if that is their will, we will go down swinging.”
Basildon has not adopted a local plan since 1998. The council has yet to adopt a plan under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, making it one of only five authorities without an adopted plan under the 2004 Act. It is the only authority in this group that has not submitted its current emerging plan for examination.
Among the other sites is a plan for up to 2,200 homes on land west of Bowers Gifford. Already 850 homes have been granted permission for the land – a decision blasted by residents at a heated meeting in April who said the village will be “absolutely destroyed”.
Security had to eventually usher fuming residents out of the council chamber after councillors approved the plans despite a planning officer telling the meeting the development was “inappropriate” and could “cause substantial harm”. The meeting also heard that about 2,000 residents had signed a petition against the plan.