Plans are in the pipeline for a new post office to relieve the horrendous queues customers currently have to endure on Canvey.

Post Office Counters has granted consent for a sub-post office at Nearbuys convenience store in Dovervelt Road on the island.

Newly-qualified postmaster David Patient must now gain planning permission from Castle Point Council for an extension to house the three post office counters at the rear of his shop.

He said: "We fought long and hard to get the Post Office to recognise the need and it has now been approved at the highest level as an ideal site which will be a massive benefit for the community.

"We have a proposal for a purpose-built sub post office in the rear of the store. We need to put in three counters, which would be difficult at the moment due to lack of space.

"At the moment, we have a storage shed with planning permission out the back. It's just a case of building a more permanent structure."

Although Canvey has four sub-post offices and one main one on the island - there is nothing at all in that area of north ward.

Complaints have been streaming in for months as customers told how they had to queue for more than 30 minutes at the Martins Post Office in Furtherwick Road.

Mr Patient said: "The response from the local community has been really positive. They cannot wait for it to open. This post office would complement the other stores on the island.

"It is an ideal location for a post office as it is accessible and convenient for local people. It shows there is clearly a need for a community store which bucks the trend for out of town superstores. A post office would enhance the service we provide.

"The 1991 census shows more than 7,000 people living in the north ward area and our in-store survey shows 48 per cent of customers were over 55."

Mr Patient took over the building in August 1997 and spent £70,000 on a major overhaul, turning it into a thriving independent store which has won national awards for customer and quality service.

Sue Morley, Post Office Counters head of retail network, said: "Mr Patient is an award winning and well respected local retailer with a proven track record.

"The addition of Dovervelt Road to our network of 19,000 outlets will bring local post office services to an area of Canvey where we are under represented at present."

Mr Patient is consulting with town planners after a bid to put up post office signs was rejected because there were "more signs than brickwork" on the outside. An agreement is expected to be reached.

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