Call to action over bid to flood part of island (From Echo)

Call to action over bid to flood part of island

5:00pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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CANVEY residents are being urged to attend a last minute public meeting about controversial plans to flood part of the island – amid claims the proposal is being quietly pushed through.

The plan would see West Canvey Marshes returned to the sea and a new sea wall alongside Canvey Road.

It is part of the Environment Agency’s Thames Estuary 2100 bid to reduce flooding risks until the end of the century.

A consultation began at the start of April and was due to finish at the end of June.

Following requests from Essex and Kent County Councils, the deadline for responses was extended until the end of July.

Speaking on a visit to Canvey in November, Environment Agency chief Daffyd Evans said consultation would be “widespread”, and pledged a public meeting.

But notice of the meeting, which takes place tomorrow, only came to light on Monday.

Castle Point MP Bob Spink said: “This isn’t the way democracy should work.

“I think the Environment Agency is running scared of the people of Canvey.”

The meeting will take the form of a drop-in session, and will run from 3pm until 9pm at The Paddocks, in Long Road, Canvey.

But this was not booked until June 15.

Leader of the Canvey Independents Dave Blackwell said the short notice announcement did not leave enough time to let people know.

He said: “They’re trying the oldest trick in the world, to give people very little notice so nobody turns up. They have not even informed the town council.

“I hope we can get as many people down there as possible. They’ve got to go to that meeting and ask questions, otherwise we’ll have a third of the island under water.”

But Agency spokeswoman Hayley Willoughby denied there was any attempt to keep the public in the dark, and said representatives had presented the plans at recent neighbourhood meetings.

She said: “This is not the only opportunity for residents to find out more.

“Copies of the consultation have been available from the Environment Agency and Castle Point Council.”