OPPOSITION councillors have called for the man responsible for regeneration in the borough to resign if Pitsea’s new Morrisons superstore does not go ahead as planned.

The Labour group has sent a series of questions to the Tory administration over fears the 75,000 sq ft store – which was designed to be the lynchpin of the town’s £30million regeneration – could be left empty.

It comes after Morrisons, which is believed to focusing on opening M Local convenience stores, announced it was reviewing its commitment to the scheme.

During last week’s full council meeting, the Labour group called on Richard Moore, Tory councillor responsible for regeneration, to apologise for demolishing Pitsea swimming pool to make way for a supermarket which might not now go ahead.

They have now asked him to quit his cabinet post if Morrisons does not become the anchor tenant of the huge building, which is expected to be completed next month.

Byron Taylor, deputy leader of the Labour group and ward councillor for Vange, said: “The council ignored the views of residents and went ahead with the regeneration anyway. Pitsea has been a building site for years now.

“If we’re left with a great empty building, then I think the least Richard Moore could do is resign.

“If you want a monument for the failures of the Tories, then this will be it.”

The Echo revealed on Monday the superstore could be split into several shops and while there is a legally binding agreement between Morrisons and London and Cambridge Properties, which is leading the development, is does not stop the company leasing part of the building to other traders.

Aidan McGurran, Labour councillor for Pitsea South East, added: “I feel very strongly about this.

“The Tories were very quick to shout about what a positive difference Morrisons was going to make, and if the firm doesn’t take ownership of the store then I think they need to take the blame for that.

“It seems to me that they are clutching at straws. Splitting the building into separate stores makes no sense to me. What retailer is going to be interested when we’ve already got a Tesco, Aldi and Lidl in Pitsea, and an Asda pretty nearby.

“We have had doubts about the regeneration all along, but we were always accused of scaremongering."

The Labour party also wants to know exactly what communication the council has had with Morrisons and London and Cambridge, and detail of the firm financial commitment.

Phil Turner, leader of Basildon Council, is standing by Mr Moore.

He said: “We’re not going to play these games with the Labour party.

“This is a private matter between two private companies.

We are as concerned as everyone else, and have done all we can to get assurances from Morrisons and London and Cambridge."

5,000 campaigned to stop Pitsea pool being knocked down to make way for shop

MORE than 5,000 residents signed a petition urging Basildon Council not to knock down Pitsea swimming pool in 2012.

At the time, senior councillors admitted Morrisons was the dealmaker, and used the supermarket to justify the controversial decision, including demolishing the landmark Railway pub and downsizing the market.

Phyllis Jones, 79, moved to her bungalow in Headcorn Close, Pitsea, nearly ten months ago because she wanted to be close to the new Morrisons.

She decided to move back to south Essex from Ipswich to be nearer to her children, after the death of her husband, and looked at properties across the area before settling in Pitsea.

She said: “Aldi, Lidl and Tesco don’t have everything I want, so for me a Morrisons is really important. It would be walking distance as well, which is vital at my age. I would be very disappointed if it didn’t go ahead.

"When my son takes me to the Morrisons in Hadleigh he can’t get me out of there. To have one in Pitsea would be a dream come true.”

The £30million regeneration was designed to attract new businesses to Pitsea and make it attractive to shoppers from outside the area.

However, in the short term, local traders have complained disruption caused by demolition and building work has drivenmany customers away.

The Echo first reported last month Morrisons was reviewing its “store requirements” – sparking fears for the future of Morrisons superstore, which supposed to replace an Aldi store, off Rectory Park Drive.