A PLAN for 250 new homes and a health centre near the plush Shoebury Garrison estate is moving ahead, despite ongoing concerns over flooding.

Garrison Developments is seeking Southend Council’s advice on whether an environmental impact assessment is needed for its new development near Barge Pier Road.

The development site neighbours the Shoebury Garrison estate - a mix of beautifully restored military properties converted into modern homes and new builds.

The new scheme includes a mixture of houses, and two to three-storey flat blocks, along with the medical centre.

The firm plans to submit its bid for outline planning permission in the near future, with an end goal of 2028 for completion.

This land sits in a flood zone, meaning there is a high probability of flooding. This risk resulted in a previous application for 172 homes stalling.

Southend Council previously wrote to Garrison Developments saying it had received one letter of objection to the plans, citing risks of flooding and environmental damage.

The council concluded that due to the location at the Garrison, there would be a significant risk of harm, and ordered the developer to produce an Environmental Impact Assessment when submitting the plans in the future.

The Environment Agency said work can only go ahead if flood protection measures offer a one in 200-year flood event shield, and the existing plans fell well below that.

However, the the agency in March revised the required figures for the one in 200-year protection upwards, and Garrison Developments now insist there is no risk of flooding due to building designs.

The company also carried out a number of modelling exercises and testing.

It said: “Taking into account the tidal modelling work to establish development platforms and the Environment Agency approval of this work, it can be concluded that the development would not have any significant environmental impacts in terms of increased flood risk to the wider area for current or future occupiers.”

Garrison also said previous surveys on wildlife in the area were conducted in 2015 and were out of date, with a survey conducted in April finding the site was devoid of much of its vegetation.

However, the developer said it would be conducting surveys for invertebrates, great-crested newts, badgers, breeding birds, otters and water-voles.

Garrison Estates added: “It can be concluded that the development would not have any significant environmental impacts and that it will not be necessary to undertake an environmental impact assessment for ecology and biodiversity.”

Southend Council now has five weeks to respond to the request for opinion.