MULTI-MILLION pound plans to regenerate south Essex have been branded a mess by Tories.

Stewart Jackson, a member of David Cameron’s shadow cabinet, made the criticism of Thames Gateway’s plans during a meeting at the Tory party conference in Birmingham.

He said: “There is no leadership on the Thames Gateway, and we still do not know what we have from the £7billion invested in regeneration since 2003. There is no detail.”

Mr Jackson, shadow minister for communities and local government, said Conservatives would put a freeze on Thames Gateway investment while an audit was carried out.

Projects Thames Gateway has already committed to are likely to continue but any new schemes would be put on hold, under the Tory plans.

Stephen Castle, a Conservative Essex County councillor who has been involved with the Thames Gateway for the past five years, said he was disappointed with his party’s plans.

He said: “From a Thames Gateway South Essex point of view, we have got a lot of big projects that are close to being delivered.

“We would expect a new government to be supportive.”

Castle Point councillor Wendy Goodwin was also at the meeting.

She said: “People were just shocked they were talking about freezing the investment.

“We were all stunned that it is going to happen.

“But the audit is really about looking at projects in the pipeline.”

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