THE company behind the 725-home Dry Street development on the edge of Basildon has vowed to plough on with its plans – in the face strong opposition from local people.

As a public exhibition explaining its plans for the site opened on Thursday, chief executive Keith Parrett said he was determined to see them through.

Redrow’s proposals for the first 181 homes on the estate, are the focus of the exhibition at Lee Chapel South Community Hall.

Speaking at the exhibition, Mr Parrett promised to pay close attention to environmental concerns.

He said: “We are focusing on the first phase. We have important ecology work to do before we crack on.

“These concerns are being taken very seriously and Redrow has everything in place to make sure we can carry out this ecological work.

“The principle of the estate has been established and we are moving forward with that.

“I respect the fact people aren’t happy, but that doesn’t mean this development gets parked.”

The first phase will involve changing road layouts, including widening Dry Street and putting up traffic lights at its junction with Nethermayne.

Members of the Green Action Group have opposed the scheme from the start, claiming protected species will be lost and the development will create traffic congestion.

Earlier this year, an online petition, calling on the Government’s Home and Communities Agency, which owns part of the site, to withdraw, was signed by more than 750 people.

The plans include the sale of the present South Essex College site, off Nethermayne, with the college moving to a new £30million town centre site.

Mr Parrett said: “At the moment, the most important thing is the first phase, which triggers funding for the college and the traffic work for Dry Street. The widening of the junction needs to happen in the first phase. That’s critical.”

Public consultation on the first phase planning application ends on July 1.

If Redrow gets permission when the council votes on it in September, the company hopes to start building work early in 2016.

Echo:

Traffic concerns

MORE needs to be done to ensure traffic in Basildon does not grind to a halt when the new homes are built, a councillor says.

Ukip group leader on Basildon Council, Linda Allport-Hodge, was at Redrow’s exhibition on Thursday.

She said: “We must keep traffic flowing around Basildon. I need some convicing the work proposed is actually going to be effective. Dry Street should really be a dual carriageway.

“It’satiny lane and there is going to be an access point there during construction.”

She said she also felt South Essex College plans to move to a new town centre campus were flawed, as they would do nothing to help town centre trade.

She added: “I still have reservations. I believe it would be in the college’s interest to look at downsizing and moving into smaller units located for the benefit of residents across the borough.

"All this does is put more pressure on town centre parking.”