HUNDREDS of homes will be renumbered and streets named after flowers...so they will fit in with new houses being built nearby.

Basildon Council has written to 533 householders on Laindon’s Five Links estate telling them their addresses are to change as part of the project to redevelop its poorly-built homes.

The council insists the changes are necessary as it has a legal duty to ensure roads are properly named and numbered.

But some residents in Somercotes, Somercotes Court, Mellow Purgess and Newberry Side say it’s a waste of money and want to keep their street names.

Steve Thorpe, 58, of Somercotes, said: “There’s absolutely no reason for doing this. They want all the roads to be named after flowers. That’s just a whim of the council. It’s not a reason.

“I know there is a lot of redevelopment around the Five Links estate, but it doesn’t follow that we need new street names and numbers.”

Mr Thorpe said residents were worried their post would get lost during the changeover.

He added: “What will the postman think if he knows the street as one thing and the mail has a different address? Will we get our letters?

“Basildon Council said it would write again in a few weeks to give details of howwe can register our views. I will be objecting.”

Names for the new roads have yet to be decided, but the council has told resident it wants the name and number changes to be in force by November 14, subject any appeals by residents.

Council leader Phil Turner said the move would not cost the council anything as developers would be paying for it.

He added: “The road names are being changed to ensure the council conforms with its legal duty to ensure estates and roads around Five Links are coherently named and numbered, for the benefit of existing and future residents.

“A sensible numbering and naming plan assists with navigating the estate on foot and by car, especially in emergency situations.

“It is commonplace in such regeneration projects around existing residential properties which are remaining.

“The Post Office is aware of the new addresses and will also know the old addresses. It was also included in the consultation process.

“The new names are all based on the names of flowers, continuing the theme agreed for Phase 2 of the development.”