CONCERNED councillors raised a series of fears about a lack of affordable homes and taxpayers being left to foot the bill on high-end flats during a crunch meeting over Fossetts Farm plans.

Southend Council’s policy and resources scrutiny committee met to debate plans to build up to 1,300 homes at Fossetts Farm which will allow the sale of Southend United to a consortium led by Justin Rees to finally be completed.

If the details surrounding the homes are agreed, the sale of the club is set to be signed off and £20million will be released to the consortium to help improve Roots Hall.

However, a number of concerns were raised at the meeting.

Lib Dem councillor Rob McMullan said: “If we were to end up in a void where the high-end properties aren’t full, we could be in a negative rent scenario where we are paying rent for hundreds of empty homes.”

Tory leader of the council Tony Cox admitted there will “always be a risk” however he is confident the due diligence process will minimise that risk.

Last week, the Echo revealed that 15 per cent, at most, of the homes would be considered affordable housing despite the council consistently asking developers to provide 30 per cent.

Labour councillor Maxine Sadza questioned if there is any guarantee that affordable housing may be stripped outright by developers.

She said: “What concerns me is the reduction of affordable housing. What guarantee do we have that there will be 15 to 30 per cent affordable homes, the developer may say that we can have none, is there any guarantee?”

Labour leader Daniel Cowan also questioned how the affordable housing will be split between the different development zones and how much is expected to be provided.

He said: “The affordable housing element is noted as going from 30 per cent to a possible 15 per cent and even as low as 13 per cent.

“Where do we expect and have we determined where those will be going?”

Mr Cox moved to reassure the affordable housing will be 15 per cent across all zones of development and would be “15 per cent total”.

He said: “It will be in the number of 160 and 180 homes.

“In terms of the figure, that is what will be contractually written into the contract, in terms of the reduction, that will have to be demonstrated as a viability test.

“It is key to mention this is about council risk and viability.”