A pothole-ridden car park on Benfleet High Road has been resurfaced by Castle Point Council.

Ownership of the car park, outside Hatley Gardens close by Tarpots, is split between Essex County Council and Castle Point Council and there had been confusion about who owns it.

Council leader Norman Smith said: “We had to take the initiative on this as the car park was in a truly awful state.

“A lot of shoppers use it and it hasn’t been fair on the local residents who have had to stare at it out of their front windows, day in day out.”

Essex County Councillor Andrew Sheldon added: “I have campaigned hard for this car park to be resurfaced and I want to thank the leader of the council for getting this done. Residents don’t care who owns it, they just wanted it fixed and it is now a million times better.”