Rundown and in desperate need of investment. That's the verdict of traders speaking about Canvey town centre.

Regeneration plans have been talked about for years, but so far exasperated shopkeepers feel nothing has been done and they are waiting for extra funding to come in.

However, hopes have been raised with the announcement of a £1million grant for the seafront from Thames Gateway, sparking the hope that future investment could also be made in the town centre.

A report, due to be published in September by consultants Urban Initiatives, also draws up plans for the town centre which can then be submitted to various agencies for funding.

However, the traders have been victims of empty promises before.

A new town centre regeneration committee now looks likely to be set up, made up from a people living and working in the area, to push forward any proposals.

Paul Riesing, owner of F and J Caring and Sons Butchers in Furtherwick Road, said: "It is a major part of Canvey, but there is no town centre any more.

"Most of the shopkeepers are shutting down because the rates are too high.

"What it really needs is to be pedestrianised to get rid of the traffic and to shut it all off at the weekends at least, if not during the week.

"There is no need for all this traffic to be going down the town centre, but there is no parking either which doesn't give people a reason to come here."

Chairman of the Canvey traders Mike Machin was a major force behind a former plan for the town centre which fell by the wayside.

However, he still believes, with investment, the town centre can be revitalised to encourage new businesses and shoppers.

He said: "It needs the council to get behind some plans and get together with all the other agencies to put something on paper and go for funding.

"We had so many ideas. In conjunction with road calming measures the whole town centre was to be blocked paved the block paving was started, but never finished "There was to be proper street lighting for the town centre and there was a possibility of pavement parking for a stretch, like the rest of the borough has got.

"It should at least be a place for local shoppers to come to and be proud of.

"It needs a group of people with the interest of Canvey at heart to get involved and it shouldn't be a political issue."

Another spark of hope is the announcement by Sainsbury's that it will be taking over the Somerfield supermarket in the Knightswick Centre, revitalising the area and improving the look of the town centre's largest supermarket.

The current store will close on July 22 and it is expected the work to revamp and rebrand the store will take ten weeks.

Castle Point Council chief executive David Marchant said: "Canvey town centre was one of the key areas that is being discussed as part of the Canvey regeneration plan.

"It would be absurd to leave it out.

"Of course, that will involve the traders, big or small, and discussion about what the new town centre looks like."

Leader of the council Pam Challis said: "We have to work out a business case and a project the Government will look favourably on for funding, because Government funding is becoming tighter and tighter.

"I have had conversations with officers from the Department for Communities and Local Government and Canvey is still in their plans for regeneration.

"But it has got to be something the residents want.

"They have got to say yes we are up for this, yes we want this to happen'."