A NATIONAL charity has joined residents in a battle to prevent historical oyster sheds being turned into an upmarket restaurant.

The Victorian Society said the proposals to convert the old oyster sheds, in Coast Road, West Mersea, into a 48-seat seafood restaurant would be destructive to the buildings, which date back 140 years.

The old sheds were last used in the Sixties.

Oyster orders from London were received there and then relayed by flags to the packing sheds offshore.

Despite local opposition, Colchester wine merchant Lay and Wheeler Group won planning permission five years ago for an oyster-tasting suite in the building.

But it never materialised and in 2007 three new applications were submitted, including a change of use to a restaurant with parking.

Colchester Council was due to discuss the controversial scheme earlier this month, but the applications were withdrawn.

West Mersea Town Council has said the plans would cause parking and traffic problems and noise to nearby residents.

The Coast Road Association and Mersea Island Society have also objected to the plans.

Now the Victorian Society, a Victorian and Edwardian conservation charity, has got behind the residents’ campaign.

Alex Baldwin, the charity’s conservation adviser, said: “Some of the historic fabric of the sheds will be re-used, but the society believes the approach is still too destructive.

“The building materials and windows are different, the roof line is altered and the extension too large. All of these changes mean it’s hard to read the history of these humble, but important sheds.

“It represents almost the complete demolition of the historic oyster sheds, buildings which should be protected from such damaging development by being in a conservation area.

“The Victorian Society believes there is scope to change and extend the sheds without erasing so much of their history.”

Ian Crossley, chairman of the Mersea Island Society, said he believed the charity’s support could help the residents’ cause.

He added: “I think it’s bound to help us and we hope the planners will listen to them.

“We want to keep as much of the original sheds as possible.

“The developers have seen that the Company Shed and oyster bar are doing very nicely and they want a slice of the action.”