GREEN belt campaigners say they will battle to stop plans for four blocks of 40 flats to be built in Benfleet.

The proposed development site, in London Road, Benfleet, had been part of a larger scheme for nine detached houses and 42 flats, which was approved last February.

But applicant, Argent Developers, now hopes to build four blocks containing a total of 40 apartments on the land which was originally intended for the houses.

Susan Buhr, 75, of Jotmans Lane, Benfleet, has urged the community to fight the proposals in the same way as battles over developments at Jotmans Farm and Glebelands.

She said: “As residents, we need to make it clear to developers that Benfleet hasn’t the infrastructure to cope.

“The flats that are already there are ludicrous, they are so close to the main road that it’s really quite dangerous. There have been repeated calls for affordable homes, which I gather this development is intended for. But quite simply, it’s just not the right place to build on.”

Jacqui Thornton, of Catherine Road, Benfleet, is from green belt campaign group Friends of Bowers Road, and is concerned with the effect it will have on traffic along London Road.

She said: “We had no idea the plans would change this way.

“It’s so frustrating the applicant has changed their application, and tried to sneak this through.

“What concerns me is that it that the site would not be able to take the development, and even providing access from Catherine Road won’t improve things. It already takes an age to get onto London Road from our street, and then there’s plenty of accidents and trouble there as well.

This will only worsen things, and we will be lobbying the council on this.”

Norman Smith, a planning committee member who represents Boyce ward, has assured residents the application will be judged on its merits.

He said: “It is a new application compared to what was approved before, as the other section has already been built on.

“As it is a completely different application, we will have to look at it in a new light.”