A FARMER has admitted he is considering an offer from a housing developer to buy some of his land and build 200 homes.

Persimmon Homes has sent an e-mail to all Castle Point councillors setting out its plans to build 200 homes on green belt land at Jotmans Hall Farm, off Jotmans Lane, South Benfleet.

It is thought this would be the first phase of controversial plans, which are backed by many ruling Tory councillors, to build 900 homes on green belt from Jotman’s Lane to the borders of Pitsea.

Jotmans Hall Farm used to be owned by well-known local farmer Frederick Swift, 84, who died in December.

Speaking exclusively to the Echo, his son Fred, 65, has now admitted the family is considering selling 30 acres of the farm to the developers.

He said: “We have been approached by Persimmon and it has put in plans to build here, as far as we know. We have got to consider the offer, as the farming world is in decline.

“However, we definitely haven’t sold the land so far.”

Castle Point Council has been forced to review where new homes will be built across the borough over the next 15 years by the Government’s planning inspector Paul Crysell.

Mr Crysell was concerned many of the sites put forward in the authority’s Local Development Framework were unrealistic, and demanded it find new locations for 1,000 homes.

Councillors are set to cast a final vote on the issue at a meeting on September 27.

Other green belt sites being considered for development include land to the north of Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, and to the west of Glebelands, Benfleet.