WORKS are now underway on a £130,000 project to improve Canvey’s seafront seawall defences.

Officers from the Environment Agency were spotted working along Canvey seafront on the seawall and defences from Thorney Bay to the Island Yacht Club.

The agency’s main aim is to replace the defences on the seaward side of the tidal defences, from Thorney Bay to Island Yacht Club.

Before works start, the agency is carrying out a survey, digging pits to check on the condition of the sea defences.

Community leaders have welcomed the works.

Dave Blackwell, Canvey Independent councillor, said: “The agency has done an excellent job there over the years.

“It is the agency’s responsibility to keep our seawall and defences safe to keep us secure.

“They are not going to let anything happen. Residents should welcome the works.”

Beach volunteers warned of the possibility that memorial benches could be moved.

Colin Letchford, chairman of Friends of Concord Beach said: “This could mean the temporary removal of benches.

“For this reason we will not install any more benches along the seafront.”

He said his group supports the agency in its work.

Former councillor Ray Howard MBE said he is also supportive of the seafront works.

He said: “I think it is excellent.

“I think this is also about making sure the River Thames continues to be a great asset to our area”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “Our ground investigation works currently on-site use shallow trial pits dug through the seaward access path and are necessary to help us understand the current condition of the steel sheet pile core of the defence.

“We have no immediate concerns or experience of undercutting of the seaward maintenance access path.

“Works on-site to begin the replacement of the defences are currently planned from April 2021 at the earliest.

“The work in Canvey is all funded through the TEAM2100 programme in Essex for the Canvey Island southern shoreline project.

The trial pit work has a budget of £92,600 and started on June 10, and is expected to last for three weeks.

The Topographic survey has a budget of £43,600 and is a six-week programme starting on June 24.