140 angry residents at a packed meeting unanimously rejected Basildon Council's £100million masterplan for Wickford town's future.

"The Council is deceiving residents. First it says under 500 homes then 600 and now 650 when in fact the current figure is 722 for the centre of town. 
It says no building above four stories then take it to Cabinet and say five or six is OK. The council needs to get its facts right and stop using old exhibition boards. It is they who are duping the residents. The Wickford Action group is only telling it how it is." 
ALAN BALL, WICKFORD

"I am sure everyone who agreed with the masterplan didn't realise it was carte blanche for Malcolm Buckley to build whatever he wants and virtually double the size of the amount of flats in the High Street."
A&A, WICKFORD

"I READ the article in the Echo (October 1), concerning the meeting on the regeneration of Wickford. Building more flats into an already overcrowded area will bring mayhem. 
Look at the jams on the Nevendon bypass at peak times, plus the lack of doctors surgeries and schools. 
I always voted for Malcolm Buckley, but never again."
JIM PHILLIPS, Belmont Avenue, Wickford