War memorial, shops and university could transform thousands of Essex homes

The sites of shops, council offices, a police station, a fire station and a university in several south Essex towns have been flagged as having ‘potential’ potential for new homes, as a council begins a consultation process on its local plan. Castle Point Borough Council has launched its ‘issues and options’ consultation, which runs until September and will look at its local plan, which includes housing and development in the borough between 2023-2043.

Castle Point’s housing requirement is 355 homes per year between 2023-2043, a total of 7,100. This figure represents a significant increase in the number of homes built locally in recent years. Dozens of sites have been included as potential developments for new housing within the consultation.

In Thundersley, the council offices on Kiln Road offer the potential for 271 new homes and improved local services. The consultation document also states that USP College – Seevic Campus, also on Kiln Road, offers the potential for 374 new homes and improved local services.

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The Canvey War Memorial on High Street could receive 14 new homes, and the memorial hall, town centre amenities and Knightswick Shopping Centre on Foksville Road on the island could receive 140 new homes. The town centre could also be improved, including town centre parking, improved town centre amenities and improved local facilities.

Canvey Library on the High Street has the “potential” for five new homes and improved services in the town centre, 17 new homes could be built at the island’s fire station and 14 properties could be built at the police station, the documents say. It also says there is potential for 113 new homes at the Canvey Island Football Club site in Park Lane.

The consultation also states that Morrisons in London Road, Benfleet could be a site for a total of 187 new homes, with improved parking in the town centre, and improved services in the town centre and the town’s bus station, could also be developed with 66 new homes. There is also the potential for 15 homes at Sainsbury’s, in the town’s High Road Potential for 15 new homes, and improved services in the town centre.

A number of other locations are also included in the consultation documents. Warren Gibson, deputy leader and chair of the Castle Point planning board, said: “We want Castle Point to thrive and to achieve this we need to ensure we have the right housing, infrastructure, green spaces and services to meet the needs of our communities as they change and grow.

“That is what the Castle Point Plan will do and from the outset we promised that we would ensure that the development of this document would be resident-led. We have delivered on that promise with a programme of extensive engagement, both online and in person, in the form of a series of workshops for both residents and businesses.

“This is not just a trial. It is something that will have a direct impact on all of our lives and the experience we have of where we live. It is therefore vital that as many people as possible have their say.”

During the first meeting, more than 1,500 people shared their views and told the council what they value about their community: what is good, what needs to improve and what needs to change.

Once engagement is complete, the feedback will inform the draft plan itself. Members will then vote to approve the draft plan before it is published for consultation, with any public comments on that plan being sent to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration and approval.

Once approved and adopted by council, which is expected to happen sometime in 2025, it will act as a framework to meet the needs of the municipality through to 2050.

You can participate in the consultation or find more information here.