WORKS on Laindon Shopping Centre look set to restart in January, after discussions over the site have rumbled on for more than TWENTY years.

Neighbours say the redevelopment of the centre off High Road has been going on for so many years that they don’t know what is happening with the build.

But Swan Housing Association says there are delays to the planning process for the road and debate over the style of the building.

It adds it is committed to delivering the project, which includes a Lidl, medical centre and 224 homes, and hope to resume works in January.

Grandmother Pat Rackley said the residents do not know what’s going on and they deserve regular updates.

The 71-year-old from Laindon said: “I think the planned roadworks are wrong - they are altering High Road to reduce it so there’s parking in the road.

“Someone needs to get off their backside and do something about the project. I’ve lived here 36 years and it used to be a very good active centre.

“It’s been going on so long and we are frustrated about it all, again nothing is happening.”

With six failed attempts to regenerate the site over the last 25 years by a host of different developers, Swan Housing took the reigns on the project.

Echo:

A spokesman for the firm said: “Swan Housing Association is committed to delivering its regeneration of Laindon which will provide a new high street, with shops including Lidl, a new medical centre, and 224 new high-quality homes including both houses, up to four bedrooms, and apartments, one and two bedrooms.

“We are currently awaiting two revised planning permissions. One is changes to the highways design that are required by Essex County Council, which will be considered by Basildon’s Planning Committee in January 2022.

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“The second permission is to allow us to build the apartments in the scheme in steel framed modular housing, rather than timber framed, to ensure the new homes meet updated regulations and standards introduced since we obtained planning consent in 2018.

“Once the first highways application is approved, hopefully in January 2022, Swan will invite the Laindon community to take part in our next consultation, giving them the opportunity to comment on the revised plans before they are submitted for approval.