AN EXCITING new project to inject a new lease of life into Southend High Street’s empty Debenhams in nearing completion.

The former shop, which closed three years ago in the Royals Shopping Centre, is being transformed by the Utilize Project to create a new bustling home for small businesses and organisations to flourish and grown.

Now, it has been confirmed it will open on August 5 and a shortlist of 10 companies has been drawn up.

This includes plus size female fashion brand Dearcurves, which has been featured in Vogue and Elle, after the team forged a partnership with the Royals last month.

The planned July opening has been delayed slightly, but shoppers won’t have long to wait for the new addition to the high street.

Sonny Shahnawaz, director of The Utilize Project, said: “We have pushed the launch date back to August 5 due to delays with brands bringing their materials to the site.

“Right now, the space is a building site, but it won’t be long until companies bring their dividers and other materials to the unit.

“However, when it does open, it will be great to start fulfilling our mission of positively impacting the community and to support small, independent businesses by driving economic growth with a thriving space that will benefit everyone.”

Joining Dearcurves on the list are more clothing business, watch and jewellery firms.

The idea of the initiative is to give small businesses from different retail sectors the opportunity to grow, expand and have a place to trade.

The non-profit organisation, based in Canary Wharf, primarily work in and around the capital.

Projects include abandoned factories turning into fashion hubs, disused shops into incubators and neglected homes into hackspaces.

They are “morphing unkept London neighbourhoods into a melting pot of community-first businesses”.

But with the Southend project, it is giving The Utilize Project a chance to expand.

Mr Shahnawaz said: “We primarily work in East London, so this is going to mark the first time we have left London.

“This is the beginning of us expanding outside of the city, and it is going to be fantastic.”