Plans for the £30m redevelopment of Pitsea town centre near Basildon in Essex have been given the go-ahead.
London & Cambridge Properties’ plans centre on a 75,000 sq ft Morrison’s superstore, a new and improved 100-stall market, refurbished office blocks and new shops, along with improved public areas and landscaping.
The town’s council-owned leisure centre will now close to make way for the new development.
Basildon council cabinet member for the environment, councillor Malcolm Buckley, said: “Of course, we would love to be able to regenerate the town centre and keep the swimming pool, but that is not living in the real world.
“We live in a world of economic uncertainty, central government cuts and the stark reality that there is less money to go around to provide services.
“We have therefore had to make a hard choice, but it is what I believe to be the right choice for local people.”
Councillor Stuart Sullivan, cabinet member for resources, added: “The scheme is just not viable without the council land, as Morrison’s need a large store to make the project work and creating a new pool is also not viable.”
nick.whitten@estatesgazette.com
