CONTROVERSIAL plans to demolish shops and build two blocks of flats on Canvey’s High Street will be given the green light - as long as developers can form plans to help reduce the risk of flooding.

A proposal to demolish Canvey Supply and Co as well as two flats above, opposite KFC on the High Street, has formally been approved by Castle Point Council.

The application would see 24 flats created in two blocks, one on Canvey High Street, and another behind on Venables Close, in the place of Canvey Supply and Co’s workyard.

But the application, from the owner of Canvey Supply and Co, was deemed to have an inadequate flood risk assessment, failing to demonstrate how run off water from the new build would affect the wider area. Developers must now draw up a new assessment.

The new building would also create two new ground floor shops facing onto the High Street.

Sue Brooke, 64, of The Driveway, Canvey, feared how Canvey’s roads would cope with more development. She said: “It is getting ridiculous now. I walked past the other day and spotted they had a sign that said for residential development, but I did not realise they had planning permission now.

“I think we do need to stop all these developments. It used to be the fact that it was difficult to get on and off the island during rush hour, not it is hard to get on and off the island at all times, and it is so difficult to get around the island, this will be another 30 cars, probably more.”

Canvey Supply and Co is a well establishment business, with a main branch on Point Road, Canvey, and a Benfleet store on London Road.

The first block of flats, will feature four two-bed flats and 12-one bed flats, built behind the two new shops. The second building, facing Venables Close, would be made up of eight two-bed flats.

Because of the sie of the development, a financial contribution must be agreed with Castle Point Council, in the form of a Section 106 agreement.

A Castle Point Council’s planning officer’s report said: “The proposal is considered satisfactory and is therefore recommended for conditional approval.

“Issues have been identified with the ability of the submitted proposal to adequately mitigate the impacts of surface water flooding.

“However it is considered that this matter may be resolved through the submission of a more detailed and robust Flood Risk Assessment at the reserved matters stage.”

Plans were initially submitted in May 2016, before they were revised in July last year.