Some 900 members of Rayleigh Action Group have opposed the latest local housing plan.

The plan proposes to build 7,500 houses throughout the district before 2025.

Campaigners believe the objective is to provide for the “London overspill” and that the natural growth of the district could be controlled by actively seeking out brownfield sites for development and making use of existing developments.

Rayleigh Action Group member Linda Kendall published a letter to Rochford council summarising the group’s objection to the outlined proposal, in which she states that the plans are “unsustainable in every way imaginable”.

Linda said: “If you look at the operation document that people were presented with, it’s no choice really.

“The area is gridlocked most days, to suggest adding another 7,500 homes without any other option is ridiculous.

In the letter Linda proposed a compete rethink of the document and called for a scheme to build a new Garden City on the Dengie peninsula. This would include a road and rail bridge over the River Crouch linking Southend to the north of the county.

She added: “I’ve called on six MPs to call for a garden city because we need some relief for the mass building. Otherwise we are just going to become a mass extension of east London. This isn’t generic growth it’s overspill.”

Linda highlights in her letter that London Road, Rawreth Lane and Watery Lane are the routes that feed most of the villages and small towns to the east. They are all regularly at a standstill and the 7,500 extra houses is likely to result in upward of 15,000 more vehicles, which she says will be unsustainable.

She also addresses the current health provisions suggesting residents already have difficulties accessing their doctors in a timely manner. There is already oversubscription in most Rayleigh Primary Schools.

Rayleigh Primary and Glebe School state they have no capacity at present.

Richard Lambourne, chairman of Rayleigh Action Group said: “Were fed up with all these plans. They need to reduce the numbers and build infrastructure.

“We want the reasonable figures and the inclusion of affordable housing.

“We don’t want green belt to be used and we want them to take advantage of infill within the existing urban footprint.

“We want to see planning towards providing more social housing and a reasonable amount spent on roads.

“I’m not convinced Rochford council gets its share of the budget from Essex County Council, we want to see them put their fair share back into the area.”