A water company manager has admitted plans to build on a flood plain in Shoebury are a “concern”.

Bellway Homes wants to build 214 new homes on flood-prone land off Barge Pier Road. Work to raise the ground to mitigate flood risk will involve bringing in thousands of tonnes of earth.

At a place scrutiny meeting on Monday, Matthew Moore, Anglian Water’s flood risk manager, gave a presentation to councillors on future plans to mitigate flood risk and answered councillor’s questions.

Lydia Hyde, Labour councillor for St Laurence Ward, asked if raising homes was a concern after problems in Lincolnshire after storm Babette.

She said: “There is a suspicion that the exact practise that is going to be used in Shoebury of raising the land displaces the flood water to the surrounding area. The Environment Agency has now launched a national investigation into this.

“If there is an event which displaces water away from the development to the drain systems, are we confident there won’t be flooding in Shoebury?”

Mr Moore said: “Raising of the ground - you are right to be concerned about it. It’s something we are very concerned about.”

Councillors heard a legal framework had been drawn up that would compel developers to submit plans for sustainable drainage systems which would then be scrutinised by a local “approval body” and rejected if found unsuitable.

Martin Terry, Independent councillor for Thorpe Ward, said: "The problem we’ve got is tide lock. It is a real risk. The last one was about a year ago in Victoria Road.

"It’s been happening constantly and it’s unacceptable and it affects Thorpe Hall Avenue."