Building work starts this week for the new £148,000 cemetery on Canvey.

But an argument has broken out over whether the site is appropriate.

Willows Funeral Services has been signed up to take charge of the building project and its day-to-day running and it is believed that work on the road and entrance will take place first.

Castle Point Council bought the land earlier this year from previous owners Safeway, with the help of local businessman Terry Holding.

However, a leading borough and county councillor insisted the cemetery was in the wrong place.

Ray Howard believes the site is too remote, the road is a blackspot for speeding cars and that the lack of public transport will make it almost impossible for elderly visitors to get there.

His comments come just days after a car collided with a fence outside his rented farm on the same road.

Mr Howard (Con, Canvey West) has been barred from debating the issue at Castle Point Council because the fact he lives there means he has had to declare an interest in the scheme.

Barry Dixie (Con, Canvey Central), vice chairman of the planning committee rejected his claims saying all the research they had done showed it was the best site.

He conceded there was no public transport but said they were holding discussions with bus bosses in a bid to start up a new service.

Mr Howard said a better site for the cemetery would have been near the Dutch Cottage Museum or in the Dutch Village.

Mr Dixie said: "The only traffic you're going to get going down there will be for the cemetery. The other traffic will be going to Safeway or down Roscommon Way.

"We did look at other sites but this was the best one."

A pond will form part of the cemetery as an area for quiet reflection and there will also be a garden of remembrance and children's burial area.

There have been no burial plots at the island's main cemetery at St Katherine's since October 1998 and burials have had to take place off the island.

By James Taylor

Reporter's e-mail: james.taylor@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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