SOUTHEND Pier is going green.

A new train station at the pierhead being planned by Southend Council will have solar panels on the roof to help generate electricity for the tourist attraction.

The platform, which is recommended for app-roval at next Wednesday's development control committee meeting, would replace the south station on the pier, which was destroyed in the pierhead blaze in October 2005.

It would consist of a control office and a series of canopies, with zinc roofs featuring solar cells in an effort to generate some electricty for use on the pier in a more eco friendly way.

In his report to the committee, head of planning Steve Kearney said: "The proposal will re-establish the end destination of the train journey, which is an important part of the visitor attraction of the pier.

"The plan is a series of modest canopies which celebrate the pier structure in their use of steel frame and timber decking, together with a control office which continues the geometry of the canopies, but emulates the scale and materials of the modern pier buildings at the entrance and pierhead.

"The introduction of renewable energy sources in the form of solar panels is also welcomed." Mr Kearney said the inspiration for the canopies was based on the pattern of waves rolling to the foreshore.

He said while the design of the canopies was lightweight and contemporary, it was still considered to be appropriate to the pier as a Grade II-listed building.