The town centre regeneration project is being developed by council partner Swan Housing Association and has been designed by architects dRMM and LDA Design.

Approval of the hybrid planning application will allow for the phased demolition of four dilapidated tower blocks.

Four existing tower blocks will be demolished on the Queensway Estate

The project has already secured £15m funding from both the Homes England housing infrastructure fund, and £4m from the getting building fund via the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Enabling works to the highway and utilities will start later this year. The work to deliver the housing should be able to begin by 2022.

The scheme itself will be built in five phases over 12 years delivering a mix of 1,760 affordable rent and homes for sale.

It also includes around 110,000 sq ft of shops and cafes and space for company start-ups.

A new urban park and public squares will be built which have been designed by LDA design, the same landscape architects who created the acclaimed Olympic Park in Stratford.

Click here. for scheme fly-through.

Every home will have its own private outdoor space whether it be a balcony, terrace or garden.

There will also be 190 new trees and 1,400m of new cycle paths along Queensway and Southchurch Road.

Electric car charging points, greener energy generation and sustainable construction methods will also improve the overall environmental performance of the development.

Geoff Pearce, Chair of development partnership Porters Place Southend-on-Sea Board, said: “At a time when many towns are calling for investment to help improve the local area, we are confident that the £500m plus investment in the Better Queensway regeneration will help ensure that Southend-on-Sea doesn’t just recover from Covid-19 but thrives and becomes an exemplar scheme driving economic recovery, well-being and supporting the community.”