RESIDENTS have hit back at proposals to build a car park on Southend’s cliff front claiming it could be more suitable for submarines than cars.

Southend Council hopes to build a car park and then use the revenue to fund the Thames Estuary Experience.

Mark Sharp, from Thorpe Bay, has pointed to an options appraisal document written when the plans were first mooted which highlighted the flooding risk for the first two floors.

He said: “The council has tried to fudge the figures for this submarine car park. It’s ludicrous.”

He is a committee member of Saxon King in Priory Park (Skipp), a group campaigning for the remains of the Saxon king discovered in 2003 to be housed at Priory Park, close to where it was found, rather than at the museum on Southend’s cliffs as part of the Thames Estuary Experience.

He said: “We have proposed to build a replica Saxon Great Hall and village on the site of a council depot in Priory Park, which is just one minute from the Saxon King’s grave site.

“Our project would only cost about £15million, which is much less than the council’s proposals. “

Peter Grubb, who runs Uncle Tom’s Cabin ice cream shop in Shoebury, has raised concerns that the sea defences required to get planning permission would escalate the cost of the Thames Estuary Experience project.

He said: “There is no way the council would be able to build that structure for the amount they’re proposing, because they are conveniently forgetting the cost of sea defences.

“There must be sea defence improvement, its an environment agency requirement to show that the public are protected.

“There are two options to do this – a sea wall, or sea beach recharge from the sea, but both cost money. This all needs to be looked at, but nobody is talking about it.”

Mr Grubb has also voiced concern about the soil which would be dislodged by building an underground car park.

He added: “Where are you going to put it? It’s expensive to remove it and that will add costs to the project.”

A council spokesman, said: “This is an exciting project that will regenerate and transform this part of the town centre and be a positive offering for our local residents, businesses and visitors.

“When delivering a project like this, one of the key requirements is that we are obligated by law to secure ‘best consideration’ for our land. In this case we have worked directly with Turnstone, an experienced developer of leisure schemes, as a special purchaser to bring forward this scheme. A tender process was therefore not necessary. 

"This is standard, lawful practice, and to support this approach, the Council engaged independent chartered surveyors Savills to work alongside us through the negotiation, appraisal and ultimate certification of the land transaction to ensure our approach was compliant with legislation and in particular delivered best consideration for the council. As time has passed since the original certification, we are employing independent Chartered Surveyors to confirm that the Council is still receiving best consideration from this scheme.

“Along with the property deal itself, the council will also receive significant business rates from the development. It is also just as important to note that this project will regenerate this area, create hundreds of new jobs, boost the local economy and bring more people to this area of the town.

"With this in mind it is clear that the Seaway Leisure development will deliver overwhelming economic and community benefits to Southend-on-Sea and we look forward to taking the project forward, with significant private investment, to deliver an exciting new year-round, all weather leisure and parking facility for local residents and visitors."