BUILDING beach huts in West Mersea will pay for services across the borough, a leading councillor has admitted.

Campaigners have stepped up their efforts to stop Colchester Council building 30 huts on the Victoria Esplanade car park.

Residents have been holding weekly protests and circulated a petition.

Tina Dopson, councillor responsible for communities at Colchester Council, said the authority had to increase its income or it would not be able to afford to provide services.

She said: “We have very few ways of doing this and none of them are popular.

“I am not even going to pretend we thought this would be popular. I recognise what a sensitive issue this is.

“West Mersea is a very beautiful area, but nothing that goes against planning guidance would be allowed by the planning committee.”

Residents have complained they were not told about the proposals.

But Mrs Dopson said it was normal for the council not to release details until a planning application was lodged.

She said: “Formal plans have not been discussed yet and officers need to decide on location, how many we need, whether we can have that many or whether we need more. There is a long way to go yet and we are not trying to hide anything.”

Mary Paddon, of Victoria Esplanade, said islanders were in uproar over the plans.

They claim the huts will be a blight on sea views and ruin the tranquility of the area.

She said: “We are determined not to let the huts be built because it is the only green space we have left on this island.

“Mersea is a unique, peaceful and tranquil place and we don’t want that being put under threat by these plans.”

Margaret Kimberley, borough councillor for West Mersea and a town councillor, said: “These huts will not just have an impact on people living in Mersea, but the people who visit the island too.

“They would be built on a very nice, quiet area where people come to relax and children play. The huts would leave less space for that.”

There are already dozens of beach huts in West Mersea, which are marketed for about £20,000.

Colchester Council doubled the cost of renting out its beach huts in West Mersea earlier this year.

For residents in the borough a small front row hut will cost £149.14 a year and a larger hut £223.44. For non-residents a small front row hut costs £250.51 a year and a larger hut is £376.12.

There is a further non-domestic rate charge for all beach huts of £90.93.