Canvey's Roscommon Way, dubbed the road to nowhere, could remain just that with plans to complete the multi-million pound project seemingly in jeopardy - NINE years after planning was first approved.

A completed Roscommon Way, linking Canvey Road and Western Esplanade, would ease the island’s congestion, diverting traffic away from the town centre.

But with two thirds completed, totalling a cost of £18.5million so far, Castle Point Council has been dealt a major blow after the proposed route for the third phase was blocked by the addition of new mobile homes at Thorney Bay Caravan Park.

Although there was no formal agreement on the route, it was widely accepted that the road would pass through the park.

The council had hoped to preserve the land through a section 106 agreement with Thorney Bay when the site applied to build homes. But the agreement remained unsigned with Thorney Bay Caravan Site deciding to place mobile homes, which need no planning permission, on the site instead. A completed route would provide significant relief to traffic congestion in built-up residential areas, by providing a carriageway with limited junctions connecting the industrial and seafront areas of the island with the strategic road network at Waterside Farm roundabout.

Castle Point Conservative councillor Ray Howard was instrumental in the road initially gaining approval, and maintains that it is vital for the island.

He said: “Canvey is gridlocked every single day during the morning and the evening so we must get that last stage in place.

“Thorney Bay is not going to build houses, as first proposed, they are just putting more mobile homes on the site, which means they do not need planning permission.

“Canvey desperately needs this road, all Echo readers know that every single accident causes traffic delays.

“This last phase will improve the infrastructure on the island, as everyone has been calling for.”

Castle Point Council had previously attempted to preserve the land by including a request to keep the area free from development in a Section 106 legal agreement, but an agreement was never secured.

Jeff King, former owner of Thorney Bay Caravan Park and now consultant at the site, said: “We have no major problem with the plans.

“We don’t see a need for this road, and the council obviously do, that is fine, each to their own.

“We are aware of the plans, and have been for a very long time, but we are not obstructing them. We’ve not blocked off anything, and we have left a gap.

“At the moment, we will allow the road to go through Thorney Bay and if the council want to enter into discussions about buying the land from us then they can.” Castle Point Council now wants Essex County Council to take action to ensure the Roscommon Way is completed.