A CAMPAIGNING councillor who battled for more than ten years to get flood defences improved feels vindicated after work was finally approved.

The Environment Agency announced it will start strengthening the sea wall to protect people, property and agricultural land.

Three miles of tidal embankment will be targeted between Pig’s Bay, north of Shoebury, and Havengore Bridge, Great Wakering.

The agency is currently designing and planning the work, which could run until 2013.

It will involve re-grouting blocks, replacing failed beams, replacing or re-laying disturbed blocks, installing steel reinforcements where necessary and re-profiling and raising any low spots.

Great Wakering parish councillor Brian Efde, in his seventies, has, in the past, been accused of scaremongering for saying homes under threat could become uninsurable.

Mr Efde, of High Street, Great Wakering, said: “Getting the flood walls built is more important than me getting any credit.

“I have been accused of lying and I now feel vindicated.

“The issue affects a lot of people’s homes, so this decision is good news.

“I have had a letter from the Environment Agency explaining they are going to be carrying out the essential works.

“The parish council is now organising a document and we will be meeting to discuss exactly what the Environment Agency is going to be doing.”

The agency has admitted current defences could be vulnerable in a flood or extreme tide.

The work will be carried out with the help of defence technology and security company QinetiQ.

The agency said it hoped to cause as little disruption as possible to the areas affected.

Mark Johnson, the agency’s coastal manager, said: “This work is part of our planned programme of maintenance covering the Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex coast identified as necessary in the Essex and South Suffolk Shoreline Management Plan and earlier studies.’’ Mr Johnson added: “We are always happy to work with local communities.

“We are pleased people in Great Wakering feel reassured by the work which is planned.’’ The Echo reported yesterday how James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, welcomed the news.

He said he hoped the work would help prevent a reoccurrence of 1953, when a total of 59 people from Canvey died in floods.