RESIDENTS have staged a protest against Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation’s proposal to build on amenity land in Waterson Road Chadwell St Mary.

The open space, near Aluric Close, features in the corporation’s South East Thurrock Masterplan as a potential site for high density housing.

However, the proposal has been met with opposition from residents from the surrounding roads who want their amenity space to remain open for their children and grandchildren to play on.

They were joined at the protest by ward councillors Gerard Rice and Tony Fish.

Councillor Rice said: “These residents do not want their green space touched, myself and councillor Marion Canavon delivered more than 200 letters from residents against this to the corporation as well as two petitions signed by several hundred people before the consultation period ended on Monday August 11.

“Residents are annoyed that consultants from the corporation are from outside the area and have not been able to answer their questions fully.

“There is a lot of anxiety around here.”