A DETERMINED resident is campaigning to preserve a Hadleigh car park, because she believes the land is protected by a historical legal document.

Susan James, 60, wants to stop Castle Point Regeneration Partnership from building flats on the site of Endway car park, off Castle Lane, and demolishing the Royal British Legion hall, which is in the centre of the site.

When the car park was built in 1967, Benfleet Urban District Council used a compulsory purchase order to buy some of the land from five nearby residents, including Mrs James’ grandmother, Elizabeth Turner.

Mrs James, of Beech Road, Hadleigh, believes the agreement means the site must remain in its current use.

She said: “As far as I’m concerned that land was taken from my grandmother and four of her neighbours to build a car park.

“The council cannot now decide it wants to turn it into flats.

“I’m not a lawyer and I’m not sure of the strength of my case, but it seems to me the council has not done its homework on this one.”

The proposals for the Endway car park are part of the blueprint for the regeneration of Hadleigh Town Centre being put forward by the regeneration partnership, which includes Castle Point Council.

The partnership is hoping to build between 100 and 200 new homes in Hadleigh to help pay for other proposals, such as a new town square outside St James the Less Church.

However, Mrs James is worried about the loss of car parking spaces.

She said: “It’s not just that these flats would be an eyesore. The car park is always full and a lot of people who work in Hadleigh leave cars there all day.

“Where are they going to put them if it’s turned into flats?”

Mark Evershed, delivery manager for the regeneration partnership, said: “We have taken legal advice on this and we are satisfied that if we want to use the site for development, then we are entitled to.

“Having said that, this is one of the schemes that hasn’t been fully supported by the public and the plans may yet be changed.”