ANGRY residents will launch a petition to stop their road names being changed in a “pointless” exercise.

Neighbours on Laindon’s Five Links estate are in uproar after Basildon Council wrote to 533 houses about the change.

Summercotes, Summercotes Court, Mellow Purgess and Newberry Side will all have their names and house numbers changed to fit in with a floral theme and to match new homes on the estate.

Basildon Council said it had consulted with Five Links Estate Residents’ Association over the change and they agreed with its floral theme – but members deny the claim.

They are now looking to start a petition to stop the change.

Pat O’Connor, member of the association and resident of Mellow Purgess, said: “Parts of Five Links were renamed years ago and the rest of us have been getting along just fine.

“But it threw up all sorts of problems for the residents who changed.

“There were cases in the past of people being pursued for TV licenses because these were registered at the original address and not the changed ones.

“They were threatened with court action because of this and some people were refused insurance at the new address too.

“I couldn’t believe it when I read the letter. It’s pointless. But I was fuming when I saw the council said it had spoken with the association.

“It most certainly has not.”

Building on Five Links has been going on since the Nineties with many homes demolished and rebuilt.

Names for the new roads have yet to be decided, but the council has told residents it wants the name and number changes to be in force by November 14.

Basildon Council insists the changes are necessary as it has a legal duty to ensure roads are properly named and numbered.

Anyone who wants to sign the petition, or wants more information, can call 01268 906722.

A Basildon Council spokesman said: “The council did co-ordinate and support meetings of the Five Links Redevelopment Working Group, which comprised residents from the estate.

“The topic of renaming and renumbering was discussed with this group as well as the choice of new names to be used on the estate.

“The council also issued notices regarding renaming and renumbering to affected residents and as such these residents can raise concerns on an individual basis or through any association they belong to.”