Southend: ‘Build 3,000 homes on Civic Centre site’

Southend Council bosses are keen to see council offices set up in the Victoria Shopping Centre on the high street, to allow the civic centre to be redeveloped and help meet housing targets.

The council purchased the Victoria Shopping Centre in December 2020 for £10million.

Plans are also being touted to move Southend Police Station from Victoria Avenue into the shopping centre so the site can also be transformed into homes.

It’s hoped it will continue the overhaul of Victoria Avenue, which has seen thousands of flats built across multiple developments.

Tony Cox, leader of the Southend Tories, said: “We could see more than 3,000 new homes on the site of the council offices, car park and police station.

“These are ideal sites for new homes and they would be far less controversial and the plans would get more public support too.

“That whole side of the road, especially the council officers, is an eyesore and I think it puts off investors. If it was redeveloped the investment potential would be colossal.”

He said having new homes in place of the civic centre and police station would help create a more attractive gateway to Southend.

Victoria Avenue has seen the overhaul of several tower blocks, including Baryta House, Heath House, Carby House and the construction of Victoria Central.

In April last year it was announced two extra floors would be added to Victoria House, which was built in the 1960s, and is being converted into one, two and threestorey homes.

Ron Woodley, Independent duty leader of Southend Council, said: “There are already plans to look into moving the civic centre to the Victoria Shopping Centre. More council staff are working remotely and we don’t need all that space now.

“I think it will go ahead as we don’t need the size of the civic centre we have right now.

“Officers are working on it and I think it will take a years at least but it does need to be done.”