A STRATEGY is being considered to stop overcrowding on Mersea Island affecting nature and other residents.

Colchester Council’s Local Plan committee is due to meet on Monday and one of the items up for discussion is to approve the Essex Coast Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy - known as RAMS.

This strategy aims to protect the Essex coast from the effects of increased recreational disturbance as a result of population growth throughout Essex.

For the borough, both the Colne and Mersea Island will be affected.

A total of 11 local planning authorities are working together on the strategy.

The strategy includes a potential tariff charged to households, of £122, to mitigate damage caused by overdevelopment and new housing.

A report to the committee said: “The increase in population expected from housing growth across Essex will increase the demand for recreational spaces, for example, locations for people to picnic, hike, walk their dogs, swim, sail and many other activities.

“The Essex coastline provides opportunities for these recreational uses, however, a large portion of the coastline is covered by international, European and national wildlife designations.

“Population growth in Essex is likely to increase the number of visitors to these sensitive coastal areas, creating the potential for conflict via increased recreational disturbance of the species and habitats, unless adequately managed.”

The Essex coastline stretches for just over 350 miles, extending from the Thames Estuary northwards to Harwich and the Stour estuary.

Gerard Oxford (Highwoods Independent), who chairs the Local Plan committee, said: “There are both tidal and recreational aspects which are extremely important. “A lot of people take part in things like fishing or sailing and we have to look at the effects it has on the whole borough.

“We need to have a report to see how it also affects business and leisure.”

There are also concerns over the amount of visitors coming to the island in the summer.

Mr Oxford added: “Some of the town councillors are particularly worried about the volume of people going there for pleasure and how much traffic it causes.

“Mersea is a good place to go but it’s how we mitigate against there sorts of things.

“The council is looking at any measure which will improve the lives of islanders. It’s looking at whether some form of restriction is appropriate or not.

“I look forward to listening to people who have lived there all there lives as they will have an awful lot of insight into how they feel the island would be detrimentally affected.”