CANVEY residents have started a petition to protect green open spaces on housing estates.

People living on council-owned estates on the island last week celebrated the withdrawal of an application by Swan Housing to build on a number of green patches between blocks.

Castle Point Council said a mistake had been made and Swan, which appeared to have jumped the gun ahead of a ballot of tenants in September on whether they will take over the borough's housing stock, withdrew the application.

But residents believe if Swan does eventually take over the stock, it will immediately resubmit the applications, to build eight houses, on land on council estates, for rented social housing.

To pre-empt the move, Canvey Independent Party is helping residents collect signatures for a petition to Parliament. It calls on the Government: "To stop Castle Point Council from building on our green open spaces, destroying the street scene and residents' wellbeing".

Party leader Dave Blackwell said: "We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg and Swan will go round the borough to see where it can develop on council-owned land.

"Swan has got a battle on its hands because there is no way people are going to stand by and let this happen."

Paul Hebden, spokesman for Swan, said: "The Government has a commitment to make all social housing decent by the year 2010.

"It also has a long-term commitment to see greater numbers of homes constructed in areas such as Castle Point, in order to ease the shortage of affordable housing. Stock transfer is one of the methods local authorities can employ to guarantee enough investment is available to meet the 2010 decent homes target.

Swan is working with the local authority and tenants to help meet that target."

Mr Hebden added: "A commitment to the development of more affordable housing is central to the work of Swan Housing Group.

"That commitment will remain central to Swan's work in future."