Residents furious after lease of land

Canvey Independent councillors say they are outraged the Tory run council is "getting rid of the family silver" by allowing a homeowner to put up a fence reaching almost 7ft tall on a 20ft by 100ft piece of open land next to his garden in Aspen Close.

Party leader Dave Blackwell said: "We have been inundated with complaints from other residents about this. The fence is illegal because it is too high.

"The council is going down the route of disposing of green open spaces without even consulting the community. We need more green spaces, not less.

"Residents say we should be out and about talking to people in the community, but when they ask us why this has happened and we have to say we don't know anything about it, it makes us look silly.

"It also has a public highway street light on it. It's unbelievable."

Homeowner, Steven Hilson claimed the council had told him he could put up a two-metre fence and that the light had been fenced in by mistake.

He said: "We are not building on this land or even putting a shed on it.

"The council has said we could buy the land, but we have opted to lease it for now and then buy it next year.

"The land was covered in brambles and we had no end of trouble from local kids climbing on our fence and kicking it.

"I also had vehicles vandalised and that doesn't happen now I have somewhere to put them.

"We did it for security. I think it is just sour grapes.

"The residents are quick to complain about this, but they didn't complain about the vandals.

"The man who put the fence up included the light by mistake."

Andrew Smith, the council's chief legal officer, said: "A licence for the land to be used as a garden area was granted on January 15 and an annual rental is being paid to the council by the licensee.

"Fencing must not exceed one metre in height.

"Anything higher would require change of use permission.

"The licensee has been informed regarding this requirement."