MORE than 11,000 residents have signed a petition calling for improvements to roads, drainage and island access before any more homes are built on Canvey.

Residents have grown frustrated with seeing a continuous stream of sites put forward for homes, while they claim that infrastructure issues on the island remain unaddressed.

In a bid for action, residents have decided to have their say with more than 11,000 people signing a petition, which equates to roughly a person per household.

The petition is urging councillors to listen to infrastructure concerns.

Frances Pack, 69, of Long Road, alongside Linda Norton, Sheridan Sayes, Susan Brooke, Karina Duff and Irene Fernon, all of Canvey, have spent several weeks canvassing residents, knocking on doors, and marching up and down the High Street acquiring signatures.

Mrs Pack has taken particular issue with poor drainage systems on the island as well as poorly cared for roads and problems with access to the island.

She said: “We got just over 11,000 signatures in the end.

“But we chose to stop, we could have kept going but we thought that number represents one person per household in Canvey.

“At the moment, we have the issue that every time we have an unexpected downpour our drains can’t cope. Everyone knows the problems we have with the roads on the island.

“Developers want to build, build, build but they wont fix our drains or our roads, or any of our infrastructure.

“The council should be considering these factors first. You don’t put more wood on a fire, so why build on areas that can’t cope.”

A 102-home development has been granted planning permission for Sandy Bay, Canvey, alongside 92 bungalows which are set for the same site. There also fears that the former town council building, on Long Road, could be demolished for homes.

Mrs Pack added: “The biggest worry if if there was a major issue or disaster, no-one would be able to get off the island, so what do we do then?

“This is not about politics, it is about the people who live on Canvey and know Canvey, and doing what is best for the people who are here. Every family has two cars now.

“If they go ahead with everything that has been suggested, we will not be able to move. People who know the island know it cannot cope.”

Colin Riley, leader of Castle Point Council, said: “We are all very concious of the lack of infrastructure and we are doing all we can to work with our partners to improve these issues. I am not surprised, but I thought we were moving forward, and these are concerns people have across the county. Unfortunately our government want all these houses and we are under pressure to provide these homes.”