Plans to set up a Charedi community on Canvey Island in the Thames Estuary have been welcomed by the local MP.
After a recent meeting with representatives from the strictly Orthodox community, Rebecca Harris, the MP for Castle Point, said that it was "encouraging to hear how enthusiastic they are about playing a part and contributing to the local community".
She added that it was "nice to hear that so many Canvey residents have made members of this established East End community feel welcome on the island".
One family has made the move from Stamford Hill to Essex and others are believed to be planning to follow in the coming weeks. What could be the first Shabbat minyan there may take place this weekend.
Purchase of the former Castle View School, which will serve as the educational and communal hub of the fledgling community, is also understood to be close to completion.
Canvey Island is one of a number of projects to set up new Charedi settlements in various parts of Essex to cope with the shortage of affordable housing, especially for large families, elsewhere.
Another Stamford Hill-based group has advertised for people to join the prospective "Charedi community of Westcliff". The building of the existing Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation will be used for schools from September.
According to notices put out by the group, "there are several families who are anticipating to set up their home in the coming few months".
Meanwhile, a group from Golders Green are planning to set up a new Orthodox community in Hemel Hempstead by September 2017. They are hoping to negotiate the block purchase of up to 50 homes in a new Barratt's building project "in a rural setting on the edge of town".
The houses would cost around 40 per cent less than their equivalent in Golders Green. The setting was felt to be convenient with a 45-minute commute to north-west London in rush hour.
Earlier this month the group, which has set up a website www.newkehilla.org, held a public meeting to discuss the scheme and plans a second shortly.
Mark Saunders, one of the men behind the project, said that "we hope to have a critical mass of people who are ready to commit in a few weeks".
