People have a right to be angry.

Predictably the second phase of the North Heybridge Development will now proceeded unopposed by Maldon District Council.

Mr Fluker, council leader, who seems a keen advocate for large new housing estates about to surround Maldon and Heybridge, said in last week’s paper, the site was allocated for development in their Local Development Plan, and was duly approved by the Secretary of State in 2017, which leaves the question open as to why this location was chosen and who decided on the amount of housing.

He also reminds readers of the usual sweeteners on offer, a relief road, doctor’s surgery and school, but made no mention of any drainage improvements to reassure people living in the high risk areas of Heybridge that this is a major concern and will be dealt with before any more houses are built.

Every councillor who voted this plan through was well aware the existing drainage system the site connects to is already at full capacity.

Essex County Council surveyed the existing water course way back in 2011 following reports of flooding in Holloway Road.

I don’t know if the report is available for public scrutiny now, but it involved the following, Essex County Council, Maldon District Council and the Environmental Agency.

Its function was to ascertain what type of system was already there, whether it could it cope with any increase in capacity that any new development would bring and who is responsible to maintain it.

No progress whatsoever has been made since the development was first proposed, no authority has liaised with another and the developer doesn’t have to contribute anything to upgrade the existing water course.

But the members found themselves in a position where they really had no choice but to approve it.

In the language frequently used in parliament these days, it is an utter disgrace.

By Robbie Green

Fambridge Road, Maldon