SOUTHEND will suffer years of disruption and pollution during the construction of the Queensway development a report has said.

An environmental impact assessment says there will be a “high risk” of potential exposure to increased pollution levels during demolition, construction and operation of the scheme to provide up to 1,800 new homes in Southend town centre.

In addition traffic will have to be diverted, initially during the construction of the new road layout and during demolition of buildings on the site, including for tower blocks.

Traffic heading to through the borough and its seafront will be diverted away from the town centre through Priory Crescent and the seafront, both of which already suffer congestion during peak times.

The impact assessment says this will have a knock on effect on air quality hot spots such as the Bell Junction.

As a result, an assessment will be undertaken of the likely significant effects of the development on population and human health “from potential exposure to increased pollution levels during demolition, construction and operation”.

The assessment will look at the impact inhalation of airborne dusts and exposure of harmful materials through land contamination and water pollution.

Ron Woodley, deputy leader of the council said: “This is a major project, the biggest the town is ever going to see and we need to take on board what the environmental impact assessment is telling us and make arrangements.

“We need to divert traffic away while all this is taking place. We won’t know what contamination is there until we start work but it’s a risk we need to take. It was the same with the gas works site on the seafront but we managed that risk.”

Queensway resident, Mike Smith said residents groups had been prepared for the impact.

He said: “ We were taken to three building sites in East London to show us how they make the area secure. They spray water while they are doing work to keep the dust down.

“There will be pollution and congestion. It is going to be very disruptive for the whole town but it is not like they can do it without causing any problems.”