Southend & the Thames Gateway

The Church in the

Thames Gateway

The Regeneration of Southend

As with all the South Essex areas, Southend paint an upbeat picture despite the current economic crisis. They see their regeneration based on drivers which may be slowed by the current economic situation but less so than in many areas and which will be a good foundation for the future in their aim to make themselves a prosperous “city by the sea”. Projects featured in the 2008 report include:
Progress on Town Centre Redevelopment. Southend claim to still be signing up retailers in the town centre and with plans to refurbish the Palace Hotel into a Park Inn they expect several other major hotel groups to follow this lead. Plans are being prepared to open up the St John’s area to provide more retail space and new homes. Already the Church of England has refurbished and opened up St John’s Church as a place for quiet and reflection and plans are being drawn up to transform the churchyard. However the wider development of the area is not planned to start before 2014.
Southend United. They are moving, by 2010, to a new 22,000 seat stadium with hotel, restaurants, retail park and apartments. The existing stadium will be redeveloped into a Sainsbury store and 300 new homes and the current Sainsbury Supermarket site will become offices, retail and leisure with some residential.
Southend Airport. The airport has been sold to the Eddie Stobart Transport Group and they have confirmed plans for a new railway station, control tower, extended passenger facilities and a high quality hotel. Phase one (which presumably does not include all the things just mentioned!) is due for completion in 2009 and Stobarts say they will develop passenger flights alongside their freight business.
Education and Culture. South East Essex College and the University of Essex facility are now up and running, seem to be very successful and looking to increase their facilities. Schemes worth £150m are planned over the next three to four years.
The Seafront. Plans for the future include a casino, hotel, leisure facilities, new homes and improved public spaces but no dates are given as to when these will be delivered.