A GROUP of councillors are backing campaigners fighting for a planned affordable housing development to be abandoned.

Southend Council bosses have included a plot of land in Lundy Close in a review of suitable locations for affordable housing.

But residents say there is not enough space and more homes would make already-serious parking problems even worse.

A land review found there is the potential for 31 properties to be built in the area.

But Lundy Close resident, Laura Newman, said residents were against the homes because there is not enough room.

The 32-year-old said: “My dad is disabled and sometimes needs an ambulance but there are already so many problems with parking that the emergency services struggle to get through.

“If this was to go ahead with another 31 homes, two cars per homes, that is another 62 cars. This land is not suitable.”

About 200 residents have signed a petition against the plans.

Neighbour, Kirsty Dawson, 50, said: “We’ve asked during a drop-in session whether there would be a new access road put in but they said no.

“Emergency services can’t get down the road as it is. The community don’t think it is feasible and it will be overcrowded.”

Conservative ward councillors Mark Flewitt and Dave McGlone have now backed the residents and are urging the council to abandon the plans.

The pair said: “This is not nimbyism but total common sense. Location is everything and forcing this kind of development upon residents will just foster bad feeling and future parking turbulence.”

“If we are a listening council, then we should listen to our residents and abandon this scheme.”

Labour’s Daniel Cowan, who also represents the ward, added he will always support the residents to “achieve the best outcome”.

Council leader Ian Gilbert, who oversees housing, said: “With over 1,500 people on our housing waiting list, delivering more affordable housing is a key priority for this council. 

“However, there is very limited space in the borough on which we can build so we do therefore need to utilise the small amounts of land we do have, whilst considering the needs of existing residents.”

“This is a difficult balance to strike and is why a consultation event was held for Lundy Close residents in January 2019 and right at the start of the process, where residents were able to discuss their concerns with the strategic housing team, ask questions and give feedback, which will all be taken into account and feed into the overall plans.

“This proposed development is still in the very early stages with no architect or agent selected yet and there will be further opportunities for local residents to have their say.”