A multi-million pound plan has been set out in Castle Point to protect the borough from flooding.

Castle Point MP, Rebecca Harris, has joined local councillors to support continued development of the drainage systems in the borough.

The borough of Castle Point was hit badly by flooding in 2013, and the MP wants to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

She said: “Castle Point suffered terribly from flooding a few years ago and so it is right that the environment agency are continuing to invest in local flood prevention works.

"Huge amounts of money have been spent by the Environment Agency, as well as Anglian Water and both Castle Point and Essex County Councils on protecting Castle Point from flooding in recent years and we must make sure our flood defences are maintained.

"Residents deserve to be able to sleep in their beds without fear of rain water flooding damaging their homes. I am pleased that our borough’s resilience to the worst nature throws at us continues to improve.”

Conservative councillor for Castle Point Council and Essex County Council, Andrew Sheldon, has been asked by residents whether the works being carried out on the playing fields are on new homes and he wants to assure them that they are not.

He said: “I am very pleased we are getting these improvements in Benfleet and Canvey. Some residents have asked if we are going to build houses there – absolutely not. These are just works to ensure that flooding does not happen in the future.”

As part of a collaboration between Castle Point Council, Essex County Council, Anglian Water and the Environment Agency, the two towns are in a bid to receive government funding to improve the drainage system in the town.

The borough has managed to avoid any serious flooding since 2013 due to their drainage system, but the recent bad weather shows just how salient the waterways are.

The bid is for 24.5 million pounds to be spent on 15,000 homes in the Castle Point borough. Although the money has not yet been received, Anglian Water has invested £1 million in the drainage system.

A spokesperson for Anglian Water said: “Since the severe flooding in 2013, Anglian Water has invested almost £1 million alone, to maintain and improve our drainage network