RESIDENTS who could be forced out their homes to make way for the new Thames crossing have spoken of their shock and anger at the Government’s proposals.

Just 24 hours after Highways England announced its preferred option to run a new route through East Tilbury, Chadwell St Mary and Orsett, about 300 householders started to receive letters from the authority telling them their property and land may be needed as part of the project.

The letter was met with shock, anger and disbelief by many. Residents of Woolings Close, off Baker Street, in Orsett, would be among the worst affected.

Their homes sit beside the A13, and some would be destroyed to make way for the new road. Other homes in the three-year-old estate would be left with a motorway just yards from their front doors.

Joe McStravick bought his house just two years ago. He and his fiancee would be forced to move out, if the proposed route goes ahead.

He said: “It’s pretty shocking, if I’m honest. The communication has been poor. This was supposed to be our forever home that we wanted to bring our kids up in. We’re now going to be forced to move out.

“Orsett village is a fantastic village, so to move to a similar catchment area is probably the likes of Hornchurch or Brentwood, and the house prices are just so much more. Are we going to have to compromise in terms of house versus cost?”

He added: “How will they value the house? When will it happen – now, five years, ten years? How long are we going to be here? That’s the bit that’s worrying.

“Who in their right mind would buyahouse here now? We’re stuck. We can’t move on. We’re getting married in May, but now we’ve got the pressure of this on top. It’s just too much.”

DJ Balakrishman would also see his home make way for the project. He said: “We love the area, and we really don’t want to move. What it does do is mitigate the investment.

“A few years down the line this should be worth a lot more, but this would really screw us up. Then the houses that are going to be left here are going to be significantly tarnished in their value.”

Mr Balakrishman went on to say: “This conversation has been going on foralong time. What I don’t understand is why they were building these houses when they knew that this was up in the air. That’s the part that’s the real mystery to me that somebody from the Government needs to answer.”

George Abbott and his family moved to the close just nine months ago. He wouldn’t see his house destroyed for the route, but would be left with a motorway just yards from his home.

He said: “I would spend every pennyIhave fighting them to give me a compulsory purchase order (CPO). There’s no way people would be able to justify living just metres from a motorway. The worst case would be they just leave us here.

“A CPO is a devastating thing, but at the very least they have a second option. Living here next to a motorway is my worst nightmare. I’ve got two young children, one of them has asthma.

“Our family are two doors down, with other family in Orsett Heath. These are brand new, energy-efficient homes in a nice part of the country, let alone Essex. It blows my mind this could happen.

“I wouldn’t have moved here if I knew this would be happening.”