NEW homes, a small supermarket and a park-and-ride scheme could be built on land near the Tesco store on the A127.

Southend Council is set to discuss proposals by Tesco for land on Nestuda Way to create new homes and jobs as part of a major investment in the borough.

An electric car charging facility is also set to be discussed.

Southend residents have welcomed the idea of new housing, providing it has all the necessary supporting infrastructure.

Verina Weaver, 65, from Eastwood, said: “I always welcome new housing because we do need it. They are trying to meet targets and young people have got to find some way of getting their foot on the ladder.

“However, I would want to see brownfield sites looked at first and see that they have been investigated.

“If they’re going to do housing we also need other infrastructure. They need to look at doctors surgeries and schools in the area to see if they can cope and have a plan in place if they can’t.”

Kimberley O’Connell, 46, has concerns about a build up and volume of traffic if new homes are built.

She said: “Houses are needed and I totally and utterly welcome more being built.

“It doesn’t make sense to have another supermarket when you have Tesco right by the land.

“I do worry about the traffic. We already have a large volume without more homes.”

The council’s cabinet will be asked to agree on the development for the site at a meeting on Tuesday, where it’s also hoped they will agree on £200,000 from future capital receipts to be used for further work on the site, surveys and the application.

Deputy leader of the council, Ron Woodley said: “Economic recovery is a key priority for this administration and for our Borough and will be crucial as we recover from the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

“This report details the way forward for delivering something potentially exciting and innovative on this council-owned site that could both encourage inward investment into the Borough, and also create new jobs and new homes for local people.

“These are very early days, with more work and engagement to do, but the aspiration to develop this key site has always been there through the joint area action plan with Rochford, and I am pleased to see it being progressed.”