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Castle Point is a
local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...
with
borough status Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, s ...
in south
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, east of central London. The borough comprises the towns and villages of
Canvey Island Canvey Island is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170.Office ...
, Hadleigh,
South Benfleet South Benfleet is a town and former civil parish, now in the unparished area of Benfleet, in the Castle Point district of Essex, England, 30 miles east of London. It is adjacent to the village of North Benfleet. The Benfleet SS7 post town include ...
, and
Thundersley Thundersley is a town and former civil parish, now in the unparished area of Benfleet, in the Castle Point borough, in southeast Essex, England. It sits on a clay ridge shared with Basildon and Hadleigh, east of Charing Cross, London. In 1951 ...
. The borough council is situated at Thundersley. The national land use tables published by MHCLG show that in 2017, the 56.6% of the borough was covered by green spaces including agriculture, forest and open land, water and outdoor recreation spaces. Close to one-fifth (18.2%) was accounted for by residential gardens. The district relies heavily on other parts of Essex including factories and ports in
Tilbury Tilbury is a port town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. The present town was established as separate settlement in the late 19th century, on land that was mainly part of Chadwell St Mary. It contains a 16th century fort and an ancie ...
, the city of
Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
and on
Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
for its largest sources of employment and as it has areas of
seaside resort A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...
the median age of residents was in 2011 greater than the national average: 7% of its residents were aged 75 to 84 compared with 5.5% nationally.


History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Benfleet and
Canvey Island Urban District Canvey Island Urban District was an urban district in the county of Essex, England. It was created in 1926 out of the civil parish of Canvey Island, previously in the Rochford Rural District. Since 1 April 1974 its former area has formed part ...
s. Its name contains references to the principal landmarks of the combined urban districts:
Hadleigh Castle Hadleigh Castle is a ruined fortification in the English county of Essex, overlooking the Thames Estuary from south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkl ...
and
Canvey Point Canvey Point is situated in the easternmost part of Canvey Island in the borough of Castle Point, Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea ...
. The district was granted
borough status Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, s ...
in 1992.


Governance

Elections to the borough council are held in three out of every four years, with one-third of the 41 seats on the council being elected at each election. The
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
and
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
parties have both had majorities on the council, with Labour running it from 1973 to 1976 and 1995 to 2003, while the Conservatives have run it between 1976 and 1995, and since the 2003 election. The Conservatives lost their majority at the 2014 election but regained it in November 2014 after a
defection In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...
. In 2022, the Conservatives lost control of the council, and the administration is made up of the Canvey Island Independent Party and People's Independent Party. As of 2022, the composition is as follows:


Twinning

Castle Point is twinned with three towns and counties: *
Romainville Romainville () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department and in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. Location It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. History On 24 July 1867, a part of the territory ...
, a north-eastern Paris suburb, since 30 March 1962. *
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
District, Germany. Formally since 19 June 1971 when Lövenich (now part of Cologne) was an independent town. *
County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...
,
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
. Twinned with Castle Point council in April 1998.


Places of interest

Hadleigh Castle Hadleigh Castle is a ruined fortification in the English county of Essex, overlooking the Thames Estuary from south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkl ...
is preserved as an ancient monument from the 13th century, forming the most important historic site in the borough and the most important late medieval castle in Essex. The Dutch Cottage Museum contains a variety of exhibits that illustrate the history of Canvey Island, and the Castle Point Transport Museum, also situated on Canvey in the retired District bus depot, features a display of over thirty old buses, coaches and commercial vehicles.


Transport

The A13 crosses Castle Point and the
A127 The A127, also known as the Southend Arterial Road, is a major road in Essex, England. It was constructed as a new arterial road project in the 1920s, linking Romford with Southend-on-Sea, replacing the older A13. Formerly classified as a tr ...
skirts it to the north, providing direct links to both
Southend Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
and London. The M25 is 20 minutes drive away. Frequent train services run through Benfleet station on the London Fenchurch Street to
Shoeburyness Shoeburyness (; also called Shoebury) is a suburb of the city of Southend-on-Sea, in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. east of the city centre. It was an urban district of Essex from 1894 to 1933, when it ...
line, operated by
c2c Trenitalia c2c Limited,Companies House extract company no 789726 ...
In September 2007, The station had a £115,000 improvement programme to make the station more accessible for people with disabilities and those using pushchairs.
Southend Airport Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
is a few miles from the border of Castle Point and currently offers private flights. It is now London's fifth international airport, owned by
Eddie Stobart Edward Pears Stobart (born 18 April 1929), better known as Eddie Stobart, is a British businessman who started an agriculture business in the late 1940s. This became ''Eddie Stobart Ltd'' in 1970 and expanded to a haulage company during the 19 ...
, which now includes a new control tower, terminal building and hotel. It is currently in the process of extending the passenger services available from the airport.
Stansted Airport London Stansted Airport is a tertiary international airport serving London, England, United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England, northeast of Central London. London Stansted serves over 160 destinations acros ...
is from the borough and offers a full range of national and international flights.
Stansted London Stansted Airport is a tertiary international airport serving London, England, United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England, northeast of Central London. London Stansted serves over 160 destinations acro ...
is the third busiest airport in the UK and serves 160 destinations across 34 countries. Castle Point has an extensive bus network operated by the
First Essex First Essex is a bus company operating services in the county of Essex. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup. History First Essex arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses. First Essex was originally part of the Eas ...
and
Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a bus operator providing services in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire, with services extending to Oxfordshire and Greater London. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester. It is a subsidiary o ...
, with services across the borough and to
Southend Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
,
Basildon Basildon ( ) is the largest town in the borough of Basildon, within the county of Essex, England. It has a population of 107,123. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1159. It lies east of Central London, south of the city of Chelmsford and ...
,
Lakeside Shopping Centre Lakeside Shopping Centre, is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London. It was constructed on the site of a former chalk quarry. The first tenants moved into the compl ...
and Rayleigh. Weekday services by Stephensons of Essex also travel to London, Southend and
Thurrock Thurrock () is a unitary authority area with borough status and unparished area in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The l ...
College and Regal Busways offers a six-day-a-week service to
Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...
.


Sport and community facilities

Waterside Farm Sports Centre, on Canvey Island, is one of the most comprehensive centres in Essex. It is set in of parkland and offers a wide variety of facilities indoors and out. It has a 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool and facilities for badminton, squash, netball, basketball, trampolining and gymnastics. The centre also includes an outdoor 6 lane, 400 m Athletics track. Opposite the Sports Centre is the Castle Point Golf Course, an 18-hole par 71 public pay-and-play course with a 17-bay floodlit driving range. The course is open seven days a week during daylight hours, 364 days a year. There is a PGA-qualified professional on site offering lessons for all abilities, both individually and as a group. Runnymede Pool is situated behind the Council Offices in Kiln Road, South Benfleet. There is a 25-metre pool and a learner pool. It is also home to Runnymede Swimming Club. The club is extremely popular and offers competitive swimming for children as young as 7 through to masters level. It also has an excellent swim ability squad and recently started a disability water polo squad. The club also holds asa accredited Swim 21 status.


Regeneration

Castle Point forms part of the
Thames Gateway Thames Gateway is a term applied to an area around the Thames Estuary in the context of discourse around regeneration and further urbanisation. The term was first coined by the UK government and applies to an area of land stretching east from ...
, making it the focus for regeneration projects. Castle Point Borough Council has been working with other key local agencies through the Castle Point Regeneration Partnership to look at long-term improvements to the borough. The first phase of improvements focuses on Canvey seafront. Investment here is designed to make the area more attractive for residents and visitors and also to encourage additional business investment. Other regeneration projects in Castle Point have included: * £350,000 from EEDA, enabling Castle Point Borough Council to create Canvey Heights Country Park from a former landfill site. * The
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
purchase of land at West Canvey Marsh to create a nature reserve * The revamp of Thorney Bay, Canvey, by Castle Point Borough Council's street scene partner
Pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...
The partnership brings together all local organisations working to improve Castle Point through long term regeneration. It includes Castle Point Borough Council,
Essex County Council Essex County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Essex in England. It has 75 councillors, elected from 70 divisions, and is currently controlled by the Conservative Party. The council meets at County Hall ...
, East of England Development Agency (EEDA),
Thames Gateway Thames Gateway is a term applied to an area around the Thames Estuary in the context of discourse around regeneration and further urbanisation. The term was first coined by the UK government and applies to an area of land stretching east from ...
South Essex Partnership, the Greengrid partnership, the RSPB and many more. They work together to make local improvements in a co-ordinated way and champion the area's interests regionally and nationally. The partnership has also been: * Studying ways to support existing businesses at Charfleets Industrial Estate * Looking at ways to create additional employment * Consulting about improvements to Canvey Town Centre with a view to making it the heart of the community and to encourage local shopping * Researching opportunities for the Paddocks area, so it supports the town centre and offers greater community provision. * Working closely with
Essex County Council Essex County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Essex in England. It has 75 councillors, elected from 70 divisions, and is currently controlled by the Conservative Party. The council meets at County Hall ...
for improvements to the traffic capacity on the A13 to relieve congestion on Canvey Island. * Carrying out a study into how Hadleigh Town Centre can be made a more attractive community shopping area There are long-term plans for improvements to Manor Trading Estate in Thundersley and the Benfleet and Thundersley shopping centres. Additionally private developers have announced a new retail park to be built next to Morrisons supermarket at Roscommon Way on Canvey Island which will be due to open in 2018.


Culture

Castle Point's biggest event of the year is the Castle Point Show – held at Waterside Farm Showground on the last Sunday in July, the show attracts thousands of people each year. The annual firework fiesta, held on the nearest Friday to 5 November, is also a popular event for residents and visitors from further afield. Each year the Mayor of Castle Point holds a carol service at Runnymede Hall, Thundersley. Open to the public, this event is free to attend and is supported by the
Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
band and songsters. Now an annual event is The Noise Arts Festival, which was established in 2011 and takes place during the October half term, it is a mixture of comedy, music, workshops, and art across a number of venues mainly in the Thundersley area.


Demography

The median age of Castle Point's residents at the 2011 census was 45, compared to a regional average of 39 and national average of 40.(Key Statistics: Age Structure)
2011 census Retrieved 2014-12-01
The national land use survey carried out for the following census in 2005 by the
Office for National Statistics The Office for National Statistics (ONS; cy, Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament. Overview The ONS is responsible for th ...
showed over 50% () of the borough to be within its non-gardens definition of green space: here a mixture of agricultural fields, natural
marshland A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...
and sports grounds and to have the second lowest area in England covered by non-domestic buildings: . More than one fifth of the area, , was made up by the second-highest category of use: gardens. The district ranked 295th in area of the 325 districts in England in area. The district relies heavily on other parts of Essex including factories and ports in
Tilbury Tilbury is a port town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. The present town was established as separate settlement in the late 19th century, on land that was mainly part of Chadwell St Mary. It contains a 16th century fort and an ancie ...
, the large town of
Southend on Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
and on
Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
for its major centres of employment. Castle Point has several estates laid out as
seaside resorts A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German ' ...
for retirement, as a result 7% of its population at the time of the 2011 census were aged 75 to 84, compared to 5.5% nationally.


Geography


Climate

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
subtype for this climate is " Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/
Oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
).Climate Summary for Castle Point
/ref>


Places in Castle Point district

*
Canvey Island Canvey Island is a town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170.Office ...
*
Daws Heath Daws Heath contains a large area of woodland in eastern Thundersley, part of Castle Point near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. It is traversed by the Daws Heath Road and St Michael's Road. Daws Heath provides a semi-rural escape for local towns ...
* Dutch Village * Hadleigh * Hope's Green * Leigh Beck * New Thundersley *
South Benfleet South Benfleet is a town and former civil parish, now in the unparished area of Benfleet, in the Castle Point district of Essex, England, 30 miles east of London. It is adjacent to the village of North Benfleet. The Benfleet SS7 post town include ...
* Sunken Marsh * Tarpots *
Thundersley Thundersley is a town and former civil parish, now in the unparished area of Benfleet, in the Castle Point borough, in southeast Essex, England. It sits on a clay ridge shared with Basildon and Hadleigh, east of Charing Cross, London. In 1951 ...
* Winter Gardens


Arms


References


External links


Castle Point Borough Council Home Page
{{East_of_England Non-metropolitan districts of Essex Boroughs in England