PLANS to make Southend a national centre for digital technology, bringing together business, education and leisure, have been unveiled.

Details of the Digital Exploration Centre were revealed at a meeting of councillors, business leaders and teachers, at the Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Westcliff.

The centre aims to host arts exhibitions, educational shows for children, office space for digital companies and business conferences.

It is the idea of Stephen Hetherington, chairman of HQ Theatres, which operates the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre, London Road, Westcliff.

He said; “Not everyone has yet to realise the full potential of digital technology and what can be done with it. These days, it is not just about your personal computer or laptop, but a great deal more.

“The idea of the Digital Exploration Centre is to provide a building where the best in digital technology can be put on show to help with business, education, tourism and leisure.”

Mr Hetherington has been developing his plans for the past two years after seeing the Ars Electronica centre in Linz, Austria, which brings together the best in modern technology.

He said: “We have not yet looked at costings or even closely at a site, although St John’s Quarter has been suggested.

“However, one of the beauties of this scheme is that it is not expensive, and providing the building itself would only be about the cost of office space.

“As the only centre of its type in the country, it would bring together the most innovative commercial, artistic and academic work in the field of digital technology, giving it a unique showcase.”

Mike Lambert, chief executive of urban regeneration company Renaissance Southend, said consultants had suggested the Digital Exploration Centre could be one of the single most important factors in the regeneration of Southend.

Theo Steel, chairman of Renaissance Southend, added: “Ars Electronica has been a highly successful economic regenerator for Linz and we believe the Southend centre would be a massive asset for the town.”

At the forum, a number of groups heavily involved in digital technology, including Ars Electronica, Southend firm KeyMed which is owned by Olympus and the University of Essex, were displaying the kind of technology which could be used at the new centre.