A councillor today hit out at plans to build 300 new homes in Castle Point.

Ray Howard, Tory member for Canvey West, attacked the blueprint claiming the borough lacks the support services to cope.

Before any new homes are built, a better infrastructure would have to be created, he insisted. Mr Howard spoke out after plans for new housing were revealed in the Essex and Southend replacement structure plan, due to last until 2011.

Independent inspectors have just published their report into the plan, which is now out for public consultation.

Essex will see another 6,400 properties built across the county, an increase of nine per cent.

South Essex will take the brunt of the new homes as Braintree and Tendring councils have said they cannot take any more.

Mr Howard said: "With Braintree and Tendring councils out of the picture, the homes will have to be split across 11 council districts.

"In Basildon, Southend, Castle Point and Rochford there is already a population of 500,000.

"Basildon has been told it has got to take another 1,000 homes, Southend has to have 600, Rochford has got to take 300 and Castle Point has got to have 300.

"This is on top of a further 2,300 homes Castle Point has already been told it has to build."

Today, Mr Howard called for the council to hold a special meeting, dedicated to discussing the structure plan, to look at the proposals in detail and to work out how Castle Point will handle the situation.

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