NEW offices and workshops are planned as part of a major revamp of an industrial estate.

Southend Council wants to build £2.6million of business units along Brunel Road on the Progress Road Industrial Estate, Eastwood, next year.

It is hoped the development will kick-start the transformation of the estate into a hi-tech business park.

The council has secured £2.2million from the East of England Development Agency and wants a further £400,000 to prepare the land for regeneration.

Brunel Road is made up of small brick workshops and factories, which will be demolished for the new development.

Alan Richards, the council’s group manager for asset management, said: “The council appointed a design team, which will be working to submit a planning application for the redevelopment.

“The council will be working closely with the team and with the remaining occupiers of the site to secure planning consent, with construction hopefully taking place in 2012.”

One of the aims of the £5million roadworks to improve the junction of the A127 with Progress Road is to attract new businesses to the estate.

Denise Rossiter, operations director of Essex Chambers of Commerce, said: “This is fantastic investment, which will allow private enterprise growth.”

Richard Vale, who runs Solo Sprayers on Brunel Road and is relocating today, said: “The buildings are outdated and completely unsuitable for us.”