The future of Southend High Street

Completed projects

Victoria Shopping Centre

Cost: £10 million

Southend-on-Sea City Council bought the Victoria Shopping Centre to:

  • demonstrate commitment to the future of Southend city centre
  • help regeneration
  • have a significant property ownership stake in the High Street for the first time

In the short term, the Council will look at ways to increase footfall and drive up occupancy levels through short-term tenancies. This will provide opportunities for start-ups, relocating businesses, or artists’ studios for example.

S-CATS

Cost: First two phases of a £4 million (total) project complete

As part of the first two phases of the S-CATS scheme:

  • town centre pathways were repaved and improved with new street furniture
  • better drainage
  • better business loading areas

These areas were in:

  • Weston Road
  • Clarence Street
  • York Road
  • Tylers Avenue
  • Whitegate Road
  • Warrior Square
  • Clifftown Road
  • the area around Southend Central Station and The Forum
  • Queens Road

The works at Whitegate Road and Warrior Square also include the installation of rain gardens. The rain gardens slow down surface water run-off, reduce water pollution, make green spaces for communities and create habitats for wildlife. At both locations, a storage crate placed underneath the rain gardens will catch and slow the flow of water to our sewers.

Project Sunrise

Some of the projects mentioned have been developed from SUNRISE: a European pilot project on co-creation and improving accessibility in the High Street.

The plans were formed following extensive consultation with

  • residents
  • local businesses
  • other key stakeholders

All the data collected was then used to inform the design process.

Following the consultations, stakeholders said they wanted:

  • to pedestrianise London Road
  • provide more green space
  • give us somewhere to sit and relax
  • give us somewhere to hold events
  • improve the lighting to make us feel safe
  • give us a reason to come to the High Street

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