WORKS to demolish an iconic former pub were carried out without permission, it has been revealed.

Castle Point Council has issued a stop notice to Branch Company Ltd after it began to knock down the former Admiral Jellicoe pub, High Street, Canvey.

The council said the developer has not agreed its contributions to the community as part of the development, known as a section 106 agreement.

Island councillors have blasted the developer for this.

Peter Greig, Canvey Independent councillor said: “I am not totally surprised about what has happened.

“I think they should be prosecuted for this.

“Quite a few people feel the same and share my view on this.

“They shouldn’t have started before they received the demolition notice.

“I am sorry to see it go and it doesn’t warrant a listed status but it would have been nice if a chain pub had taken it up.

“There is already strong feeling about it, so I think this will make people even more angry.

“It seems the council stepped in as quick as they could when it found out.”

A spokesman for Castle Point Council said: “The planning application is subject to a S106 agreement which is currently being drawn up. Permission does not come into effect until that agreement has been agreed and signed.

“Demolition works have commenced – they don’t currently have planning permission, nor have they submitted a demolition notice to the building control department.

“The temporary stop notice was issued to halt the unauthorised works following the council being alerted to the situation by the public.”

Yesterday, the Echo reported how the start of the demolition of the iconic Canvey pub was been met with an outpouring of emotion.

The pub, is set to be totally demolished and replaced with 40 flats and a row of shops.

Plans for the development were approved in December and hoardings placed around the site and now the first stages of demolition have begun - by Branch Company Ltd.

Although it is unclear how long the pub has been on the island, it dates back to at least the early 1940s.

The pub initially closed in January 2017 mysteriously, and a demolition notice was placed on the site in January 2018.

That demolition was pushed back with the council insisting it needed proper permission.

The developer was contacted for comment.