THE man behind £30million plans to redevelop Pitsea town centre says his vision will transform the town for the better.

Nick Burgess, director of London and Cambridge Properties, which owns the Northlands Pavement site, has spoken of his delight at the plans being approved and the prospect of creating about 300 new jobs.

The scheme will incorporate a new Morrisons supermarket, six new shops and the demolition of several buildings, including the derelict Railway Hotel, Aldi, Castaways restaurant and Pitsea swimming pool.

But before work can start, the developer needs to secure the future of two key plots of land.

Basildon Council owns Pitsea swimming pool and has yet to agree to sell the land, but more than 3,000 residents have already signed a petition calling for it to be saved. Meanwhile, Aldi has a 60-year lease on its Rectory Park Drive store, which the developer wants to bulldoze to make way for Morrisons, and would have to agree to leave or move to another site.

Mr Burgess said: “We want to put the heart back into the town.There is still a lot more talking to do before any building work commences, but I would like to see us on site by the middle of next year and then perhaps complete by Christmas 2014.

“The market is one of the most important parts of the scheme and it’s got to be a success, it’s vital.”

The developer plans to create a market, which can be taken down and is free of containers, unlike the current Pitsea Market.

The new market would incorporate a pedestrianised area, including a central feature, such as a statue.