New radio station at Adventure Island

1:55pm Tuesday 20th February 2007

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Southend could have a new landmark building on the seafront if plans being put before the council are approved.

Adventure Island theme park boss, Philip Miller, has submitted plans for a proposed headquarters of his latest venture, which he hopes will be a new radio station, Southend Radio.

Under the scheme, the former St John Ambulance building, near the Three Shells Restaurant, would be demolished and replaced by a new two-storey building to house the new radio station and possibly a conference centre.

Mr Miller said he hoped Southend Radio would go on air either by the end of this year or the start of 2008, depending on when and whether the plans were approved by the council.

He told the Echo: "As far as I am concerned, it is the sooner the better.

"As soon as we get our planning permission agreed, then we will be ready to go."

The application would mean the ground floor being used for a mix of shops or bars and restaurants.

However, Mr Miller said there were a number of options for this part of the building.

He said: "It is likely we will decide to use the whole building in connection with the radio station.

"A conference centre or media centre linked with the station is a possibility, but there are a number of options open which is the reason we have submitted the planning application in this way.

"It is a futuristic design. The architects have told me it is what they describe as a waymark building.

"This means people will say, let's meet by the Southend Radio building'.

"It will be a landmark on the seafront."