CAMPAIGNERS have said they are waiting with “baited breath” for the impact of a controversial hospice and 50 homes proposal approved a year ago.

A joint Countryside Properties and St Luke’s Hospice application for 50 homes and a hospice on the Little Malgraves Farm, Horndon-on-the-Hill was approved last June by Thurrock Council, despite a prolonged battle by campaigners to stop it.

Claire Beecham of the Protect Lower Dunton Road Action Group raised concerns that the approval had “crossed a line” for residential development in the area.

Impact has already been felt on the greenbelt and local services from new developments in the area, residents said, with queues to see the doctor “out the door” compared to none six months ago.

The main impact has also been felt on traffic and schools, said Mrs Beecham, a charity nurse, who lives in the Lower Dunton area and works with hospice patients.

She said: “It’s a real concern. Our position has not changed at all since we fought the development. We wouldn’t have gone to the lengths we went to if we weren’t fully against it.

“Had it just been the hospice it wouldn’t have been a problem, we would have supported it. It would have been lovely. But the hospice was used as a sprite to catch the mackerel.

“It’s just frustrating really. Once you let one development through, you are going to get other developers. This case set a precedent and if you look around at the impact on the area, now you can hardly move.

“The thought of 50 houses up there, on top of the Lower Dunton Village site, it will have a huge impact on the nature of the area. When you go to the doctor’s surgery, there’s a queue out the door, when six months ago you could just walk in.

“It has an impact on everything. We are waiting with baited breath for when this is going to happen.”

Recent housing developments in the area have included Butts Lane, in Stanford-le-Hope and Dry Street, near Basildon Hospital.

Other coming projects residents are concerned about include the Dunton Garden Suburb project, for 6,000 houses in the area.

The chairwoman of the Protect Lower Dunton Road Action Group said residents were prepared to fight more housing developments that might now come forwards.

Mrs Beecham said: “Essentially, the Horndon development is a fait accompli now as it was approved, so there’s nothing else we can do about that one. But should there be an additional development proposal, we will re-double our efforts to stop it.”

According to plans, works on building the hospice are supposed to start at the latest by June 2017 and the hos pice has to be completed 12 months before this, and after houses have been built.

Developers Countryside Properties did not confirm by deadline if building had been put on hold due to the recent economic / political turmoil, although there is “no sign” of any clearance or building work at the site.

A spokesman for St Luke’s said: “We have not been made aware of any changes in the plans due to the economic sit - uation or Brexit. It’s all just working along as planned as far as we are aware.”