I’m fed up to the gills with council

Nigel Cousins, 41, has been selling fresh fish from his converted Renault van outside the Knightswick Shopping Centre, in Canvey town centre, since October last year.

Last month he got a letter from Castle Point Council demanding he apply for planning permission for his van.

A shocked Mr Cousins said “I’ve never heard of anything like this before. When I started through the planning application it was all about plumbing and brick work. I don’t have any of that, I’m a mobile van.”

Mr Cousins, who is from Lowestoft, Suffolk, has already paid the council £512 for a street trading licence for the year.

However, Trading Standards do require planning permission for mobile food traders if the site is a permanent arrangement.

To apply for planning permission will cost Mr Cousins £335 and there is the chance it will be refused, meaning he will not be allowed to sell at all.

He said: “I’ve been taking my mobile fish van around Essex for the past six years and I’ve never been asked for planning permission.

“My customers are all saying I should start up a petition, but I don’t want to get chucked off the island altogether. I feel like I’m in a difficult situation.”

Canvey Town Council is supporting Mr Cousins’ battle to keep his pitch.

Dave Blackwell, chairman of the authority’s finance committee, said: “I don’t understand why the council is doing this.

“Are they being leant on by someone?

“He’s a really popular trader, the town centre is suffering enough without the council chasing off a profitable business.”

David Marchant, the council’s chief executive, said: “We are sorry Mr Cousins was not aware he needed planning permission to trade from this location.

“In line with other street traders, he does require planning permission, as well as a street trading licence.

“This is why our planning department has written to him advising that he must apply for planning permission if he wishes to continue to trade.”