Hall Out! Protest at Play Field Loss

Banner-waving protesters were out in force yesterday in a last minute bid to stop building on a Canvey playing field.

A meals-on-wheels kitchen and hall for the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service on King George V field in Popular Road, has already been started. But the families were upset, saying Castle Point Council could have consulted them. And the other reason for their anger was more of their island’s precious open space being lost to building. Where could the children play?

Mrs Linda Cope, who began a petition, said: “I thought it was policy for residents to be informed of planning applications, but Castle Point Council did not have the decency to tell us.” Mrs Cope, of Poplar Road, said the kitchen and hall would add to the gradual erosion of open space on Canvey. She said: “There is not much open space on Canvey and these buildings could have gone somewhere else.” Mrs Cope hopes 1,000 people will sign the petition to Castle Point MP Sir Bernard Braine and the council.

Castle Point’s chief planning officer Mr Don Reay said: “We consult all occupiers immediately abutting the site of the application. “In this instance it was only the old people’s home next door. They are the people who will be primarily affected.”

He said the development itself was a recreational facility.

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The hall was built and was in use by the WRVS until recently (2016). It is now a Youth Centre.

Were you there? Do you recognise anyone? Please comment below.