Controversial plans to build a six-storey block of flats will be decided by a Government inspector after they were rejected by Southend council.

The proposals for a block of five flats at 31 Grand Parade in Leigh were rejected by the council last year following a campaign by residents.

Chris Gibb, who lives in Grand Parade, said the development would be far too close too neighbouring houses. He said: "It'd ridiculously close. What's there at the moment is already too big.

"If you put a development like that there you could do anything. It's making everyone ill worrying about it."

Angry residents sent more than 300 objections about the development to Southend Council, which rejected the plans last August. However, they now face another battle due to the written appeal. Joanne Phillips, who lives in Glen Road, is concerned the development could lead to traffic problems, noise and disruption to mains sewerage flow, as well as decreasing the market value of nearby houses.

She said: "Every six months for the past two years I've been faced with trying to fight off this developer's greedy proposals, along with my neighbours.

"We have endured nearly two years of noise and pollution from the site still under construction at 41 Grand Parade.

"Sadly, several residents haven't got the stamina to keep facing this threat to our way of life, and have recently sold their homes surrounding the proposed site."