SOUTHEND seafront roads must be resurfaced before lorries carrying thousands of tonnes of earth to a 214-home Shoebury development begin travelling through the city, Tory leader Tony Cox says.

The controversial plan by Bellway Homes to build on flood-prone land off Barge Pier Road, near Gunners Park in Shoebury, involves raising the level of the ground to stop the homes from being at risk of flooding.

However, the soil will need to be transferred across Southend and major concerns have been raised about the impact on roads, with Tory West Shoebury ward councillor Tony Cox calling for Eastern Esplanade and Thorpe Esplanade to be resurfaced before the lorries begin.

The proposed route will see lorries head to the city via the A127 and travel along Victoria Avenue to Queensway and on to the seafront to Shoebury Common Road. The plan will involve thousands of lorry movements between 8am and 3pm.

Mr Cox said: “I think the road should be resurfaced before the work starts. Then it’s easier to be able to determine what damage is being caused. It’s the only way of knowing.”

Asked if a survey of the road now might be a cheaper option, Mr Cox said: “Either way I think we need something done to the road (Eastern Esplanade and Thorpe Esplanade). That section of the road is already starting to go into an oval shape and those who have lane assists are saying they have to turn it off on that stretch of the road because it pulls. If damage is done to the road by any developer, they would have to pay.”

The proposed route has already been redrawn after concerns were raised about the lorries using Thorpe Hall Avenue.

Peter Lovett, chairman of Shoebury Residents’ Association, said: “A consultation on it was only open for a few weeks and there has been lots of angry comments about it on our Facebook page about it. People haven’t time to comment but when they do comment, it’s totally ignored. We don’t want lorries coming in to Shoebury. The whole thing was a nightmare from the start. The good thing was Tony Cox got it moved down Victoria Avenue and Queensway. It shouldn’t come by road.”

Bellway Homes has agreed for the lorries to be “live tracked” to minimise disruption.