An area newly earmarked specially to preserve wildlife, could be carved up by possible plans for a new third road off Canvey, it was revealed today.

Castle Point highways and leisure committee approved English Nature's plans to designate Holehaven Creek as a site of special scientific interest.

However, the committee's chairman, councillor Ray Howard, said: "We support the principle of the whole of Holehaven Creek being included, but we also need to notify English Nature that we are in the process of trying to convince the Government of the necessity of a third access road for Canvey.

"The possibility of it going down Holehaven Creek is very very high.

"We border three other districts and they don't want the access road from Canvey going across their districts."

As for the conflict over the risk to wildlife, Mr Howard said: "We have got to get people on and off the island."

He added that the congestion caused by drivers trying to access Canvey via just two routes at the moment, could be just as damaging to the environment.

Published Wednesday, June 4, 2003

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