STRENGHTENING flood defences in Shoebury is back on the agenda...but a controversial 7ft seawall has already been ruled out.

Southend Council is set to meet with residents to discuss plans for flood defences at Shoebury Common.

Previous proposals to build a 7ft high seawall across the common were dropped following a concerted campaign by The Friends of Shoebury Common.

Now a number of options - old and new - are said to be on the table. According to the council, the construction of the seawall has been “eliminated as socially unacceptable and not carried forward into the proposed short list of options which are to be investigated further.”

Peter Grubb, owner of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, on Shoebury Common, and a member of the campaign group, is calling for the existing seawall to be strengthened.

He said: “Hopefully the option they come forward with is one that involves recharging the sea wall. A year ago the council engaged the services of drilling experts who took core samples to establish what could be done to solve the problem of Shoebury Common sea defences with a far softer and more natural solution.”

Mr Grubb added: “Beach recharging involves changing the surface and angle of the beach and this is held back by the existing seawall which would be strengthened using steel sheets.

“I had a meeting with a council officer and suggested this five years ago.”

The Friends of Shoebury Common applied to have Shoebury Common officially designated as a village green in November 2013.

A Government inspector recommended the application for refusal in 2015.

A council spokesman said: “This week we will be holding a discussion with local stakeholder organisations over options for sea defences at Shoebury. It will include some options previously seen by the local community, as well as some new options. Following this meeting we will hold a briefing for elected members to update them and obtain any input they may have.

“We will use the feedback from these discussions to develop a preferred option, which will be presented at a future cabinet meeting. Any scheme, once adopted by full council, will need to be submitted to the Environment Agency for funding support. It may also be necessary to obtain other authorisations such as planning permission. If this is the case then the council will notify local residents for their views at that time.”

The spokesman added: “The council is also commencing work on preparing a long-term strategy for managing flood-risk and coastal erosion over the next 100 years and engaging the local community will be at the heart of this work.”