A bid by a Rainham councillor to improve road safety in Lamb’s Lane North was unsuccessful.

The motion came from David Durant (Independent Residents’ Group, Rainham and Wennington) as a proposal for 28 new homes at the junction with New Road was debated at last night’s planning meeting.

The proposal was passed unanimously.

His suggestion was to add a special anti-skid road surface into the “section 106 agreement” – whereby the council grants planning permission in exchange for extra building work to reduce the impact on the local area.

“Lamb’s Lane North is a very busy cut-through that suffers from speeding traffic, particularly around the bend in the road,” Cllr Durant told the planning committee.

“There have been many accidents and near misses. This application provides an opportunity to assist residents by attaching a section 106 to improve road safety in Lamb’s Lane North.

“This is a legitimate planning consideration because this development will increase traffic in Lamb’s Lane North.”

But officers said the 22 houses and six flats planned for the area wouldn’t generate sufficient extra traffic to justify making the developers pay for the resurfacing.

In fact, a section 106 agreement is in place to require the builders to give the council �168,000 to improve the area’s infrastructure – it just won’t be earmarked for road safety.

The committee did, however, agree to limit lorries using the site during the construction process.

The development will involve felling a number of trees, including one currently the subject of a preservation order.

As part of the agreement, the homes built will be designated affordable housing.

But deputy leader Cllr Steven Kelly (Conservative, Emerson Park), speaking in favour of the proposal, said: “It’s finishing off that part of Rainham. It actually looks a very nice development.

“Considering the state it’s been in for 10 or 12 years, I think it’s a good improvement for that corner.”