SAFETY fears have been raised about 600 new homes due to be built on the doorstep of a gas storage terminal.

George Whatley, of the People Against Methane group, is enraged at the council’s decision to pass outline planning permission to build 600 homes on Thorney Bay Caravan park, which is a Flood Risk level 3 and is close to the Calor Gas and Oikos terminals west of the site.

He said after Calor raised concerns to plans he found it astonishing the council could support the scheme.

Mr Whatley, 71, said: “I really do wonder what is going on. How can we have this next to Calor Gas and the Oikos terminals? It poses a vast risk especially considering the flood risk that everyone knows about in Canvey . Schools and health services will feel pressure with even more demand and it is a concern.

“There is a scrutiny meeting in December where safety planning around Comah sites is going to be discussed but this plan has already been approved.”

He said there were no Comah sites – Control of Major Accident Hazards - in other areas of Castle Point, such as Benfleet , but they were not getting extra housing.