SOUTHEND’S former Debenhams store could be transformed under fresh plans to finally bring the empty shop back to life.

Debenhams closed its doors for the final time at the Royals Shopping Centre, following the collapse of the department store chain.

Repeated calls have been made since urging a new business to open in Debenhams, and residents pushed for the Range to open in the former shop after it announced plans to take over the former Debenhams in Chelmsford High Street.

However, no firm plans came to fruition.

Now, three years later, plans are being revealed for it to be transformed into a new bustling home for small businesses and organisations to flourish and grown.

Final details are still to be confirmed, but the Royals has partnered up with The Utilize Project to bring an alternative use to the space, which is expected to last 12 months.

The project has previously taken over vacant London office buildings, abandoned factories and start-up shops to convert them into state-of-the-art hotspot incubators for talent and trade.

Sonny Shahnawaz, director of The Utilize Project, said: "I am thrilled to announce that we have recently partnered with The Royals to manage the old Debenhams unit on a meanwhile basis.

“As many of you may know, meanwhile spaces are a fantastic way to breathe new life into vacant properties, offering a range of benefits to both property owners and the wider community.

“By providing temporary use of empty spaces, we can help to drive economic growth, support surrounding businesses and create vibrant, thriving spaces that benefit everyone.

“Working with The Royals to manage the old Debenhams space is an incredible opportunity, and we are looking forward to helping them maximize the potential of their space.

“Our team is committed to creating innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of each project, and we believe that our partnership with The Royals will enable us to achieve great things together."

Sid Haq, business development manager and project leader of the development, said: “We are wanting to give small businesses from different retail sectors, such as watches, jewellery and clothes, the opportunity to grow, expand and have a space to trade.

“They will be able to rent at rates from 80p to £1 per square foot.

“Currently, we are inviting people who are interested in setting up in the unit to come and view the spaces to see how it will look and telling them to come forward if they are interested.

“We are really excited to be doing this and are hoping to start operations in the first week of July because we don’t want any organisations to miss out on the summer trade.

“I have been advising each business that if they are interested in setting up trade on the floor, it would be amazing to start as soon as possible.”

Will Moss, asset manager of the Royals said: "We are pleased to welcome the team at the Utilize Project to the Royals. I have visited their amazing hub in London, and we are excited to see what the entrepreneurial people of Southend can bring to the Centre via this project.

"In addition to the Utilize Project going live in the coming weeks, we are launching ‘Art-On-Sea’, an art exhibition celebrating life in Southend whilst showcasing our local creative talent. This will be taking place within the former shopfronts of the Debenhams unit, which will be going live this weekend (25 July)."

To express an interest email: economicd@southend.gov.uk.