THE oldest house in Benfleet has been saved from demolition...for now.

Castle Point Council’s cross-party planning committee unanimously voted to stop the Moorings, in Essex Way, Benfleet, being knocked down to make way for a four-bedroom family home.

The proposed new detached house and garage was deemed to be poorly designed and too big for the corner plot.

However, councillors admit it is only a matter of a time before another application comes forward.

They have been fighting to get the cottage, which is thought to date back to 1621, listed in a bid to protect it from demolition – but have so far been unsuccessful.

Normal Smith, Tory councillor for Boyce ward, said: “I’ve fought very hard to see if we could get this as a listed building and protect its future. We’ve looked at every possible avenue to see what we can do, and we now need to look at what is eventually going to happen to that site.

“The proposal that came forward is just not what I would like to see in my ward as a replacement. We need to have something that is attractive and will represent old Benfleet.”

Controversial plans to demolish the Moorings emerged after the death of former owner Ted Cook.

The run-down property, which is close to the conservation area, is already on a local list of buildings of architectural or historical interest, but a buildings adviser recently cast doubt over its age, saying repairs and renovations over the years mean much of the cottage is more recent.

Dave Blackwell, leader of Canvey Island Independent Party, said: “It’s sad for the borough. It seems this country is very good at destroying its history. People come from all over the world to see it and we replace it with modern buildings you can see anywhere else.

“The Moorings is a lovely old building and the replacement was just vastly too big.”