FAMILIES who are protesting about proposals for a 15-storey tower block in Southend met councillors last night to air their concerns.

People living near the former South East Essex College site, in Carnarvon Road, are fighting the proposal from developers Hollybrook to build a tower block containing 267 flats.

The old college building has been empty for nearly five years and residents acknowledge it has become an eyesore, but they say the town needs “quality, affordable homes for families and older people”.

Cathy Gale, spokeswoman for the protesters, said: “Southend really does not need any more tower blocks.

“They may be cheap to construct, but the cost of human suffering, and physical and mental health impact have been well researched. They are evident within every tower block already in existence.

“We have a good neighbourhood to live in. We have a mix of bungalows, two-storey houses, three storey flats with owner-occupier, rented and social housing.

“The roads are narrow, with difficulty in parking at present.

“To be swamped by this tower and such a vast amount of new people will have massive impact on the traffic, let alone the need for more school places.”

Residents, who met ward councillors at the Civic Centre last night, are being asked to sign a petition and a protest page has been set up on the social networking site Facebook.

The college moved to its new campus off the High Street in September 2004.

The site was earmarked as a potential development area for affordable housing following an Audit Commission report which said Southend Council was not on track to meet its target of 213 new affordable homes by 2012.

Planning permission was granted for the site which will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroomed flats.

The plans include an underground car park and space for 436 bicycles.

At the time of going to press no one from Hollybrook would comment about the plans.