WORK has started on a town centre car park after it was bought for £725,000.

The Bowl car park, in the centre of the roundabout connecting Cherrydown East and Station Way, Basildon, was sold at an Andrews and Robertson auction earlier this month.

There had been fears the land would be sold for a housing development, but the Echo revealed the new owners are Manchester-based Land and Securities.

The company’s sister firm, SIP Car Parks, will be operating the land as a car park, director Chris Marsden confirmed.

Work has now begun at the site to maximise the number of parking spaces available to commuters and shoppers.

UKIP councillor Stephen Hodge said: “I am glad to see that work has started on the new Bowl car park.

“An overspill rank for the taxis has been promised as well as disabled spots and drop off for the station.”

Charges will be introduced.

The land has been used as an unofficial car park since the former owner, the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency, realised last year that the South Essex Parking Partnership did not have permission to be charging people to park there.

Future development of the site has not been ruled out by Mr Marsden.