NEIGHBOURS have objected to plans to turn a family house into a home for young people with learning difficulties.

An application was lodged with Castle Point Council in February to develop 57 London Road, Benfleet, to house four youngsters aged between ten and 16.

But neighbours are concerned that changing the use of the four-bedroom family home will hit the prices of their properties and the extra traffic coming and going from the home on to the A13 will be dangerous and noisy.

Any objections to the scheme, which will be privately run, must be handed in to Castle Point Council by April 16.

The application proposes to increase parking provision from three to five spaces by removing flowers from the front garden, but objectors, including Essex County Council highways department, are worried there will not be enough room to manouvre in the driveway.

Nick McCullagh, from the Highways Agency has recommended the application be refused on the grounds that vehicles will have to reverse on to the A13.

Karen Lawrence, 42, who lives next door to the property, said: "We are not pleased.

"I don't think it's right that there is going to be a business in a residential area and there are going to be staff coming and going at all hours.

"And we weren't consulted until around a week ago even though the house was sold in February."

Another neighbour, John Lawrence, said: "We bought this house because it was in a nice residential area and it should stay that way."

But the applicant Folashade Balogun, of Woodford Green, London, claims the home is needed as there is no provision for young people requiring residential care in Castle Point, meaning they have to be transferred to other parts of the county.