CONCERN is growing in the Thurrock community that they may soon see more refugee immigrants from London dumped on their doorstep.

In February Thurrock Nub News reported on concerns expressed by Thurrock's leading housing councillor after a significant number of migrants were placed in new houses in Chadwell St Mary, on a estate off Oak Grove, accessed via St Johns' Road.

The homes are owned privately and have been rented by the Home Office to house the refugees. No notice was given to Thurrock Council that the refugees were being placed in the area - despite the fact they are likely to be supported financially by the local authority which has to provide services for them.

Cllr Barry Johnson, Cabinet member for Housing told Thurrock Nub News: "The council will be writing to the agents of the Home Office to raise our concerns about this situation, ask why we were not notified and what provision they are making for the refugees' welfare." See story here.

There are around 30 homes on the new estate, some of which appear to being let out to groups of males. Neighbouring residents have complained about the noise coming from the estate and the actions of refugees, some of whom have been pictured gathering in numbers and smoking from hookahs, with strong smells of cannabis floating across the area.

The estate is rubbish-strewn with piles of black bags and overflowing bins allowing debris to drift around.

Now local people have said they fear more land is being cleared to build more houses.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "Since these people moved in there has been a big impact on the local community. We understand there are a significant number of Syrian refugees there and there are a number of houses with a lot of men in them. There are some younger people.

"We understand there has to be somewhere safe for refugees but there also has to be a respect by them for the local community where they are housed and this is not happening.

"There is noise, disturbance and the smell of drugs and it seems no one cares about this. The council say it's not their responsibility and not their fault, you can't get any information from the Home Office and it just seems these people have been dumped and left to get on with it regardless of the impact they have on people who live next to them.

"Now we fear more land is being cleared for more houses off the end of Oak Grove and we believe that there will be more refugees brought in. We would just like to know what's happening and we don't think when these homes were given planning permission that anybody predicted this.

"These were supposed to be executive-type homes for families who worked and contributed to their community, not lived off the back of it."