ACCORDING to the Royal Horticultural Society three times as many front gardens – some 4.5 million of them – are now paved over compared to a decade ago.

Not only is this turning once vibrant and pleasant street scenes into a sea of uninspiring grey, the society says, but the phenomenon is also bringing environmental risks.

These include disappearing habitats for wildlife, localised warming and – perhaps most concerning for south Essex – increased risk of flooding.

RHS environmental adviser Rebecca Matthews Joyce said: “The water has to go somewhere and, even if you are not flooded, it might be affecting your neighbours.

“If vegetation is lost from our streets, there is less to regulate urban temperatures.

“Hard surfaces absorb heat in the day and release it at night – making it hot and difficult to sleep.”

For Peter Remke, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Southend, this is old news.

He said he has watched front gardens disappear at an alarming rate over the past 20 years – with a noticeable spike in recent years.

It led the 47-year-old to become involved in the Unpave Our Gardens Facebook campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of the issue and apply pressure on the Government and planners.

He said: “In the areas I’ve lived in the past 20 years, I’ve seen several hedges and front gardens disappear.

“This means the amount of wildlife in the area is reduced, but the biggest problem is the increased flooding risk if water can’t drain off.

“So much is made of vegetation being cleared in these exotic locations around the world and its effect on the planet, but we are doing the exact same thing here because it’s seen as more important to be able to park your car closer to your house.”

In Southend, Peter said, much of the most recent churning up of front gardens coincided with the dividing up of swathes of private housing stock into flats and bedsits.

Among areas affected are York Road and parts of Westcliff, but it is a phenomenon he has seen elsewhere too.

He said: “The last place I lived was North London and, in the past ten years, houses which had been occupied by one family have been divided into several flats of four or more people.

“When that happens, no-one really takes responsibility for the garden, so the landlord will come in and pave over the garden because it’s less trouble that way.”

Peter said there is a psychological, as well as an environmental effect when gardens and greenery are lost.

He said: “There have been studies made which show a lot of people find it depressing coming into a street where everything is paved over, rather than having lots of green. This is supposed to be because we have evolved to associate greenery with abundance, whereas an area which is deserted of vegetation is somewhere we want to migrate away from.

“I think one consequence of this is that the more you take away front gardens and trees, the more it will invite vandalism and littering, because people don’t care as much for their environment.”

To find out more about the Unpave Our Gardens campaign, visit facebook.com/unpaveourgardens