The 17 shops standing empty on Southend's high street echo-news.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from echo-news.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A POP-UP illuminations event could be on its way to Southend this year - which could “bring the magic back” to the seafront. Southend Council and Southend Tourism Partnership have been planning an extended summer season of events to bring a big economic boost for the town’s hospitality industry after the Covid pandemic. A part of a refresh of the council’s ambitious plans up to 2050, this extended season could include a pop-up illuminations and festival of light event at some point in October. The council has also announced an arts festival that will take place in September, and a Halloween carnival parade.
Martin Terry, Southend councillor in charge in of community safety, said: “I’m relieved that the police have given us assurances that they will have a presence there for the rest of the summer. “If it’s dealt with robustly and the presence is consistently there, I can’t see it being closed again. “We can’t have the seafront like the wild west, what’s been happening is frightening. “We didn’t want to close the seafront, it was forced upon us by these dangerous drivers.” Earlier this month, police officers were injured after objects were thrown at them in a rowdy seafront car meet.
A WHOPPING 200 tower blocks would have to be built in Southend town centre to halt plans for hundreds of new green belt homes in a “lunatic” 20-year house-building programme. Southend Council has revealed it would have to build hundreds of new high-rises to stop any new development on the green lung between Southend and Rochford. The stark admission comes as Southend Council’s Labour, Lib Dem and Independent cabinet backed the next stage of consultation over the town’s local plan.
READ MORE: The consultation includes proposals to build on green belt land because of Government guidance. However, earlier this month councillors united to oppose plans to build on the green belt, as Southend was given a target of building 23,500 homes.
Southend Angel Solutions Community Care's CQC report echo-news.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from echo-news.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.