VIEWS of the estuary could be blocked by walls of concrete needed to protect thousands of homes from flooding.

A new report has recommended expanding beaches and adding up to a metre to some seawalls in Southend, as part of multi-million plans to combat any future environmental disaster.

Council chiefs have drawn up the £192million blueprint to stop rising seas washing more than a mile inland, swamping dozens of streets.

The proposals, which include building a new seawall along Western Esplanade and topping up others with fresh concrete, threaten to anger traders and tourists.

However, council bosses believe if nothing is done, the existing defences will fail within 30 years and the resultant flooding could cause damage costing up to £1.6billion.

John Lamb, the Tory councillor responsible for the plans, said: “No one wants to do anything which would spoil the seafront, because it is such a key part of our town.

“But we also have to ensure we are protected to the necessary standard, because we would be criticised, and quite rightly so, if we were to put people’s homes and lives at risk.”

Rising sea levels will place Southend’s entire coastline under threat by 2040.

Natural valleys running through the town mean flood waters could stretch as far as the junction of Eastern Avenue and Southchurch Boulevard in Southend, and also tear through Shoebury.

Last month, the Echo revealed how Southend Council had drawn up a £2million blueprint to protect 500 homes around Shoebury common with a barrier of concrete and mud. Work is due to get under way by September.

A new report has now revealed the authority’s preferred options for keeping the rest of the seafront safe.

At Westcliff, a new 1.5 metre seawall could be built between the promenade and Western Esplanade, with work starting within seven years.

Further east, thousands of tonnes of sand and pebbles could be dumped on Jubilee Beach to significantly increase its size and soak up the power of incoming waves.

Metre-high seawalls near Leigh railway station and Shoebury’s East Beach could also be nearly doubled in size.

Although the plans have been rubber-stamped by experts at the Environment Agency, council chiefs stressed the public would have its say on all the options before any work got under way.

However Mr Lamb added: “The people we have to trust are the people with the knowledge on these matters. Views are lovely, but we have to be practical with what needs to be done.”

PROTECTING Southend’s coastline could cost more than £192million over the next 100 years.

Southend Council estimates the cost of constantly topping up beaches and strengthening seawalls will rocket skywards as sea levels rise.

But bosses believe four of out every five pounds required to boost the town’s defences will come from the Government.

John Lamb, the Tory councillor responsible for protecting the shoreline, said: “Funding is obviously a key issue in this.

“There are huge costs involved and we do not have the money to do it ourselves.

“But we are looking at ways in which we can secure what we need through grants.”