Planning supremo visits Southend
Published Thursday 30th June 11 in Council - news and information releases news
One of the country’s most distinguished planners has paid a visit to Southend to cast his eye over some of the town’s recently completed development projects.
During his visit Richard Summers, president of the Royal Town Planning Institute, was given a tour of the new Southend Swimming and Diving Centre.
The centre was recently named winner of the Best Technical Design and Construction 2011 category in the Local Authority Building Control (East Anglia) Building Excellence Awards.
As well as praising the overall design of the centre Mr Summers was particularly impressed with the diving facilities at the new pool, which opened in October last year.
The centre is to be used as a London 2012 training base by gold medal hopeful Tom Daley and fellow members of the British Olympic diving team.
Prior to visiting the pool Mr Summers was given a briefing on recent development projects undertaken by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council.
They included the four projects delivered as part of the £25million Better Southend initiative - Progress Road, Cuckoo Corner, Victoria Gateway and City Beach.
Mr Summers was invited to Southend by Peter Geraghty, the Council's Group Manager for Planning and Development Control, who is also Junior Vice-President of the RTPI for 2011.
After his visit to the pool he went on to Southend Airport to examine plans for the proposed runway extension and the airport's new railway station.
Following his visit Mr Summers said: "Southend is putting itself on the map. I was delighted to meet senior councillors and planners at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to discuss current planning issues and the programme of high profile regeneration projects that the Council is promoting.
"I was impressed to see the traffic management projects at Victoria Gateway and Cuckoo Corner, the new swimming and diving pools and the exciting expansion of London Southend Airport, including the runway extension, new terminal building and new railway station."