Councils are struggling to finalise plans for thousands of new homes over the next 20 years.

Local authorities say a major upgrade of transport and infrastructure across South Essex is urgently needed to sustain more homes.

Conservative opposition in Basildon has accused the current Ukip, Labour and Independent joint administration of giving the Government an excuse to overdevelop the area.

Opposition Conservative infrastructure spokesman Andy Barnes said ‘The local plan was ready to go forward to the Planning Inspectorate, on time, in June 2018.

“Continuing to delay the local plan puts residents at risk of inappropriate development, damages the economy and could even mean the council loses control of planning altogether – leading to uncontrolled housing estates all over the place.”

Phil Turner, leader of the Conservative group added: “If they are not careful we are going to get stuck with another 4,000 homes and that will be a catastrophe.

“The way we make up the numbers has to be supported with evidence. We use the Strategic housing Marketing Assessment and that gives us the number of 15,000.

“Recently that number has gone up to 19,000 and if they are not careful there will be a review which will mean we will lose more green belt.”

However, Basildon Council leader Gavin Callaghan says he will not agree to more housing unless money is on the table for schools, GPs and roads. He said: “What we are determined to do is make sure new homes are linked to infrastructure. We are trying to link the number of houses built so that they will get adequate infrastructure and if the Government doesn’t give us the cash for that then thousands of houses will not be built.

“We are not going to say to families come and live in the borough but your children won’t have anywhere to go to school.”

Mr Callaghan added: “If the Conservatives had got their finger out and delivered the local plan four years ago it would have been 8,000 homes. Phil Turner can say he has a magic wand but he was never going to fix it. He would give them the go ahead to build homes with no need to pay for infrastructure.

“We are not going to do that. We are going to get it right.”