CALLS have come for Castle Point’s planning chief to quit, after councillors dramatically refused to vote on the blueprint for the borough’s future development.

Councillors were due to decide on the borough’s Core Strategy document at a meeting on Monday night, but have decided to launch a new borough-wide public consultation.

The document details where new homes, workplaces and other facilities should go.

The Government has told the council it must find sites for 5,000 extra homes and create 2,500 jobs by 2026. The document includes proposals to build homes and businesses on more than 36 acres of green belt land.

But following fierce protests, councillors voted unanimously to put off a decision and hold new consultations. And some are calling for Ian Burchill, the council officer behind the strategy, to step aside.

Hadleigh Tory Bill Sharp, a one-time planning committee chairman, said: “I have no doubt about Mr Burchill’s planning ability, but the residents have destroyed his argument, so perhaps someone else should be taking this forward.”

Fellow Conservative Colin Riley backed Mr Sharp. He said: “I think what we need is a fresh look at the strategy. That’s nothing against Mr Burchill personally, but I think a fresh look would enhance the process.”

Leader of the Canvey Independent Party, Dave Blackwell, branded the Core Strategy process a shambles, but urged colleagues not to treat Mr Burchill as a scapegoat.

He said: “Mr Burchill is going to find himself under a lot of pressure. He’s the one who has come up with this plan and somehow he’s got to go out and listen to people and try and bring it back online.

“But officers do as they are told by councillors and if anyone should resign, it should be the leader. She should have stopped the plan a long time ago and gone out to consultation.”

Council officers staged a consultation exercise in the summer, but only wrote to one household in ten.

As a result of Monday’s vote, a new eight-week consultation, involving every single home and business, will begin on January 9.

Councillors will then have a chance to amend the document before a second vote and its submission to the Government for final approval.

Tory Norman Smith, who is responsible for regeneration and economic development, backed Mr Burchill’s retention, but said the new consultation should be led, not by officers, but by senior councillors.

He said: “Mr Burchill has been intrinsically involved in the strategy all the way through and has a lot of knowledge.

“Officers suggested the best plan, in their professional capacity, but councillors have not been too happy with it.

“It is a very hard job. I think we’ll find the cabinet will lead the way now, but we will still need Mr Burchill and the planning team to give us information.”