‘We want to stay’ say Jaywick residents (From Gazette)

‘We want to stay’ say Jaywick residents

3:00pm Tuesday 25th August 2009 in

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RESIDENTS were astonished by a suggestion they should move out of a seaside town’s centre to help improve their area.

Lord Hanningfield, the leader of Essex County Council, suggested Jaywick could be improved by encouraging residents of former summer chalets to move to new homes elsewhere.

He wants to see the area return to its past role as a summer tourist resort, with current residents offered affordable housing within Tendring in exchange.

Residents of Brooklands area of Jaywick, where most of the wooden, former holiday chalets, said they would not be moved.

Mick Masterson, who lives on Brooklands, said: “I am nonplussed to be honest.

“I have got a billion-dollar view. Most people are 30ft from the beach. What would encourage them to move, apart from a lot of money?”

John Wolton, the chairman of the Jaywick Forum said: “People love where they are. Most of the people down there, the owner-occupiers, have made little palaces of their places. It is a little bit severe of Lord Hanningfield to talk that way before he has consulted people.”

In an interview, Lord Hanningfield said: “It could go back to what it was, with beach huts on the beach, but a lot of people would have to go and live somewhere else.

“Because of the beach, it could go back more to what it was – more for tourism and the enjoyment of the seaside.”

He said the council could not shy away from the fact many of the houses in Brooklands were not made for permanent residence. He added: “A lot of people in Jaywick do not like to be associated with the worst parts of Jaywick.”

Mr Hanningfield claimed the county council was working with Tendring Council and housing associations to create more affordable housing within Tendring, to encourage people to move away He said: “If we did it over a number of years and provided affordable houses, we might be able to change it.”