Camp Bling

In 2004, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council proposed the 'Priory Crescent road widening scheme' and a public inquiry was held.

The council proceeded with the scheme, estimated at £25 million, explaining that it was important to Southend and that a democratic decision had been taken after considering opposing views.

During early excavations, an Anglo-Saxon king's burial chamber was discovered[1] which was described by British archaeologists as "the most spectacular discovery of its kind made during the past 60 years".

[2] The widening of the road would have resulted in the felling of 111 trees and a loss of 300 square metres (3,200 sq ft) of public green space.

[4] Of those responding to the official Winter 2001 Civic News survey, only 16 people were in favour of the proposals from a delivery area covering all Southend households.