THE group at the forefront of regenerating Basildon could be forced to close in spring.

Basildon Renaissance Partnership will no longer receive Government funding from the end of March.

The organisation, which is run out of the Basildon Council offices in the Basildon Centre, has been central to negotiations over the £38million sports village and masterplan proposals for Basildon, Wickford, and Pitsea.

The news came in the same week the Echo exclusively revealed Renaissance Southend, a specialist company set up to drive regeneration in Southend, would fold in December after its funding was cut by the coalition Government.

Basildon Renaissance Partnership was never established as a separate company and took on seven staff whose posts were Government funded.

Tony Ball, Basildon Council leader, said: “Basildon Renaissance Partnership has funding in place until March 31 2011, and has always been a more informal partnership than Renaissance Southend, with no board of directors or company status.

“We await the outcome of the comprehensive spending review and the progress of the local enterprise partnerships. If there is no funding post March 2011, Basildon's regeneration projects will be led by Basildon Council and its partners.”

Mr Ball praised the work of the partnership and Renaissance Southend in developing projects and securing funding.

He added: “Renaissance South-end did a great job in getting major investment into Southend over the past five years, and we worked closely with it on many sub regional issues and projects across the Thames Gateway South Essex area.

“It is sad it will cease operating in December, but we hope the good work that it has started will continue in Southend.”