THOUSANDS of homes on green belt land will be resisted by Southend Council but a “mini Manhattan” could see high-rise flats in the town centre instead. Southend councillors united to stop plans for 7,200 homes on land between Southend and Rochford at full council meeting, which would have helped to solve a homes shortage. A blueprint for the plan for the green belt land, between Sutton Road and Star Lane, first emerged in May. The proposals for 1,461 new homes at Fossetts Farm, which would go alongside a new Southend United football stadium, were included. Now council chiefs are eyeing up car parks in the town to build high-rise tower blocks instead.
Chris Taylor, owner of Taylors Hairdressing, thinks works should have been further delayed until the buzz of re-opening had “cooled down.” He said: “It is frustrating when there’s been months over lockdown to resurface the car park and they choose to do it on re-opening week. “You’ve got the Clarence one over the road, but without this you’re taking 50 per cent of parking away from this end of the high street. “Delaying it by a couple of weeks or even a month could’ve helped people get back on their feet. It was a no brainer that things would be busy this week.”
HAIRDRESSERS slammed Southend Council after a car park was closed for resurfacing works. just as non-essential retail re-opened for the first time this year. Craig Smith, owner of Grateful Heads, says Monday was arguably the “biggest day” for business - but that customers were forced to drive around town looking for spaces after the Alexandra Street car park was shut. Customers were left late for their appointments after works to resurface the car park also began on Monday, having initially been scheduled to take place in January. Bosses say the resurfacing was forced to be delayed due to plans to install electric vehicle charging points, allowing for infrastructure to be put in place.