Canvey faces its biggest house building explosion since the 1960s

8:30pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Jacqueline McMillan

Canvey seems set to undergo its biggest housebuilding programme since the Sixties after more homes were earmarked for approval.

The island is now ripe for development after plans to build 99 homes on a small trading estate off Point Road were earmarked for approval by council officers.

The proposals come just two weeks after outline plans to build 600 homes on Thorney Bay Caravan Park on Canvey were also given the go ahead.

Edward Rubidge, of Point Road, Canvey said: “Canvey will just become a concrete jungle if this goes ahead. I hate the thought that they are trying to cram all these dwellings on a site the size of a postage stamp. It will be chaos.”
Graham Bracci, 62, of Holland Avenue, Canvey, said: “In theory it is a good place to build because it is previously developed land, but team this with the development at Thorney Bay and it just gets ridiculous.
“We haven’t seen developments like these since the 60s. It does not seem like the council is really looking out for the interests of island residents in the same way they do on the mainland.”
The latest plans, submitted by the Canary Wharf Co, are for 16 homes and 83 flats to be built behind Canvey Supply.
The proposals are a revised version of previous plans to build 106 homes on the site, which were refused by Castle Point councillors who deemed the site too small.
More than 300 letters of objection have been submitted to the council from residents.
However, Castle Point Council officers have recommended the plans for approval, subject to 30 per cent of the homes being affordable housing and the developer making a contribution of over £400,000 to improve community services.
A final decision on the outline plans will be made at a development control meeting at the council offices in Kiln Road, Thundersley, from 7:30pm on Tuesday next week.

Comments (6)

9:26pm Thu 27 Sep 12

jolllyboy says...

Chaos. Who can get on or off fast daily let alone if there was a problem.
Chaos. Who can get on or off fast daily let alone if there was a problem. jolllyboy

9:25am Fri 28 Sep 12

Blind Haze says...

Jacqueline McMillan - I'm sorry but that's a dreadful headline.l
Jacqueline McMillan - I'm sorry but that's a dreadful headline.l Blind Haze

12:33pm Fri 28 Sep 12

perini says...

Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this?
Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this? perini

1:07pm Fri 28 Sep 12

iknowbetter says...

perini wrote:
Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this?
That's correct Perini but you have to understand that the mainland is at threat from development so before the new Core strategy is launched the Council need to approve as much as they can on Canvey to get their housing quota in. The fact that Canvey is still a level 3 flood risk seems to have taken a back seat over meeting the housing quota. This is a Tory run Council we are talking about so what else did you expect?
[quote][p][bold]perini[/bold] wrote: Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this?[/p][/quote]That's correct Perini but you have to understand that the mainland is at threat from development so before the new Core strategy is launched the Council need to approve as much as they can on Canvey to get their housing quota in. The fact that Canvey is still a level 3 flood risk seems to have taken a back seat over meeting the housing quota. This is a Tory run Council we are talking about so what else did you expect? iknowbetter

12:32am Sat 29 Sep 12

soul man says...

maybe they are going to house all the eastern europeans in the new homes then jeff king can start on developing thorney bay after booting them out?
maybe they are going to house all the eastern europeans in the new homes then jeff king can start on developing thorney bay after booting them out? soul man

12:10pm Wed 3 Oct 12

DKelly says...

perini wrote:
Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this?
The Environment Agency put a blanket ban on new building on Canvey after the flooding a few years back elsewhere (we got lucky the rainfall then didn't hit here) and the report by Michael Pitt that came in it's aftermath. The Council themselves did not impose that ban, but they abided it (with gritted teeth no doubt).

When Labour introduced the 'East of England Plan' the councillors Christmas came early and Pitt was lobbied by our own Councillor Ray Howard to consider Canvey a 'Special Case' (according to Howard our defences are impregnable...), however, with the ban still in the place the Core Strategies supposedly 'independent' and 'expert' planners still put the vast majority of required housing on Canvey. Clearly they, and the mainland boys pulling their strings, knew they were not going to have a problem getting that ban lifted.

Something to remember here: According to the strategies planners, and remember these same people and their puppet masters are now 'working' on the new local plan, nearly every site on Canvey scored high on their own very dubious scoring system (something else the Government Inspector criticised).

In fact only 2 sites on Canvey were ruled out and scored very low. One because it is actually toxic (this is off Northwick Road) and the other because it happens to be right behind a certain Councillors own house (this is called the 'triangle' below Roscommon Way, and this land falls between the stables and Councillor Howard's house).

Bottom line is we have the same 'motivated' people who put forward a seriously flawed and biased Core Strategy that the Government Inspector slammed and refused to approve (unless the mainland gave up significant land, which is the only reason they withdrew it), still pushing forward for the same sites and MORE on Canvey knowing the rules have changed so this time they can get away with it!

And what we are seeing is clear evidence that is exactly what they are doing.

Everything for Canvey is getting approved regardless of residents objections and every safety risk, while the mainland proposals are mostly either refused or stalled. With near to 700 homes now into approval on Canvey, and the token 150 offered on the mainland, this means they can keep stalling with the mainland green belt for up to 3 years (they need to provide 250 homes per annum, so looking good for them isn't it?)

Now under the new localism bill the council are supposed to approve developments only after proper consultation with residents and other authorities (like the EA). Clearly Castle Points mainland boys clearly consider an overwhelming 'no' from residents on Canvey has satisfied that 'consultation', the EA's disapproval somehow equals 'suitable', so they just push on regardless.

A residents 'no on the mainland obviously carries more weight. The EA has no concerns for the mainland as they do not face the same risks.

It really is quite shocking how brazen they are with this. At least with the Core Strategy they tried to be crafty about it all. Now it's like they are just giving all of us on Canvey one big finger.
[quote][p][bold]perini[/bold] wrote: Good to know that the risk of flooding has now disappeared - weren't the council refusing to give building permission not so long ago because of this?[/p][/quote]The Environment Agency put a blanket ban on new building on Canvey after the flooding a few years back elsewhere (we got lucky the rainfall then didn't hit here) and the report by Michael Pitt that came in it's aftermath. The Council themselves did not impose that ban, but they abided it (with gritted teeth no doubt). When Labour introduced the 'East of England Plan' the councillors Christmas came early and Pitt was lobbied by our own Councillor Ray Howard to consider Canvey a 'Special Case' (according to Howard our defences are impregnable...), however, with the ban still in the place the Core Strategies supposedly 'independent' and 'expert' planners still put the vast majority of required housing on Canvey. Clearly they, and the mainland boys pulling their strings, knew they were not going to have a problem getting that ban lifted. Something to remember here: According to the strategies planners, and remember these same people and their puppet masters are now 'working' on the new local plan, nearly every site on Canvey scored high on their own very dubious scoring system (something else the Government Inspector criticised). In fact only 2 sites on Canvey were ruled out and scored very low. One because it is actually toxic (this is off Northwick Road) and the other because it happens to be right behind a certain Councillors own house (this is called the 'triangle' below Roscommon Way, and this land falls between the stables and Councillor Howard's house). Bottom line is we have the same 'motivated' people who put forward a seriously flawed and biased Core Strategy that the Government Inspector slammed and refused to approve (unless the mainland gave up significant land, which is the only reason they withdrew it), still pushing forward for the same sites and MORE on Canvey knowing the rules have changed so this time they can get away with it! And what we are seeing is clear evidence that is exactly what they are doing. Everything for Canvey is getting approved regardless of residents objections and every safety risk, while the mainland proposals are mostly either refused or stalled. With near to 700 homes now into approval on Canvey, and the token 150 offered on the mainland, this means they can keep stalling with the mainland green belt for up to 3 years (they need to provide 250 homes per annum, so looking good for them isn't it?) Now under the new localism bill the council are supposed to approve developments only after proper consultation with residents and other authorities (like the EA). Clearly Castle Points mainland boys clearly consider an overwhelming 'no' from residents on Canvey has satisfied that 'consultation', the EA's disapproval somehow equals 'suitable', so they just push on regardless. A residents 'no on the mainland obviously carries more weight. The EA has no concerns for the mainland as they do not face the same risks. It really is quite shocking how brazen they are with this. At least with the Core Strategy they tried to be crafty about it all. Now it's like they are just giving all of us on Canvey one big finger. DKelly

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