As part of plans for 850 homes at Jotmans Farm, an access road will be created to Canvey Way and residents fear it will wreak havoc for drivers getting on and off Canvey, as well as impacting Sadlers Farm and the A13.
Access onto Canvey is already at “breaking point” and Canvey Way is gridlocked on a near daily basis, according to residents.
If approved, the plans would see a nursery and primary school, a residential care home and a health care facility alongside the homes all using the new link road to Canvey Way as the main access point.
Canvey resident Janet Buck said: “I am deeply concerned. The land is green belt and as climate changes, it could become prone to flooding.
“Also, as the only access for the residents will be via Canvey Way, the impact on the traffic flow for Canvey residents will be impacted.
“The infrastructure is not able to cope with the existing traffic and housing in the area. The last application for this land was around 400 dwellings, now it is 850.
“The whole area is overdeveloped and unable to support this development. My main concern is that residents of Canvey will be unable to leave the island in a reasonable time for travel.
“People can’t get off Canvey, and it will be worse if this development happens.”
The land was included as one of 16 green belt sites marked for “potential development” in Castle Point Council’s local plan consultation.
Ray Howard MBE, former Canvey councillor, has campaigned for a third road for years, and has continuously highlighted the issues residents on the island face with congestion.
He said: “It is already at breaking point without any additional homes. We all know Canvey needs another access road. Our borough needs sorting out from Sadlers and over to Canvey, the last thing Canvey wants is even more congestion.
“It is not just Canvey too, but Tarpots is gridlocked all the time.
“So before they go into details to get their hundreds of homes, they need to get the highways right. Infrastructure has to be right first.”