CANVEY has received a “death sentence” after plans for 5,000 new homes were agreed for Castle Point.

Residents say traffic will be brought to a standstill in both Canvey and Benfleet under the new local plan.

They spoke after Castle Point Council revealed a Government inspector had founds its plan for 5,000 homes across a 15-year period were “capable of being found legally compliant and sound”.

Linda Norton, a 68-year-old Canvey resident who has lived on the island since childhood, said: “I can’t believe they’re doing this.

“I can’t even comprehend it because it’s ridiculous.

“How will we ever get off Canvey? We can’t now.

“Canvey is overbuilt. We have not got the infrastructure to cope, neither has Benfleet.

“How on earth is anyone going to be able to move? It’s ridiculous, they did the traffic survey in lockdown, how fair is that?

“I’m seriously thinking of moving because as it is now if we want to get off the island on weekends, we have to leave by 9.30am otherwise we won’t get off.

“They’re proposing putting a roundabout on Canvey Way and one on Canvey Road.

“They’re signing a death sentence on us.

“If the Conservatives are still in, they’re going to adopt it. I’m just hoping Independent get in so they can chuck it out.”

Despite saying the plan was sound overall, inspector Philip Law said the plan contained a number of deficiencies.

The council agreed for him to make modifications, including a revised housing need figure and an uplift in housing land supply.

A vote of the full council will now be needed to sign off the plan.

Reacting to the inspector’s decision, deputy leader of the council Paul Varker refused to be drawn on whether councillors would approve the plan.

He said: “We’ll look at the contents and then it’s up to full council to choose to adopt the plan or not. What’s been done has been done.

“Until full council discuss it I’m not going to make any comments at all.

“The next full council meeting is in March, whether it will be discussed or not I don’t know.”