Southend Seaway: traders back multi-storey car park idea

Derek Jarvis, councillor responsible for leisure, has said “one option” for the Lucy Road car park could be creating a new multi-storey car park to create hundreds of extra spaces in a prime spot on the seafront. 
 

Site - Lucy Road (Image: Google Maps)

It comes after a £10million injection from the council for the scheme, headed by Turnstone Estates, was withdrawn due to a lack of work taking place. 

Plan - Seaway (Image: Turnstone Estates)

Martin Richardson, owner of the Happidrome Arcade, in Marine Parade, says it is a “goldmine” to attract more people to the seafront.

He said: “A multi-storey car park is a great idea because it’ll give people the opportunity to park in the heart of the seafront, rather than having to park a little distance away.

“As well as that, it’ll boost the council’s benefits, such as the High Street, as well as drive tourism to the area.

“Not only will it benefit council benefits, but it’ll also help boost seafront businesses and restaurants, which has to be welcomed.

“Southend really does need more parking, and a multi-storey car park is a key aspect of everything.”

Paul Thompson, owner of the Pebbles One café, in Marine Parade, also backs the idea of a multi-storey car park and said the leisure complex plan has been a “dead duck” since day one.

He added: “It would be fantastic if one was built on the site because it’ll give people confidence they can get parked quickly on the seafront.

“With that, it’ll boost businesses and that will help the city’s economy, which is always important.

“It’s good to hear the council planning for the future.”

Following the withdrawal of the large council sum from the Seaway plan, Mr Jarvis says it has gone back into capital reserves.

He adds: “As the £10million has gone back into capital reserves, this could be spent in all sorts of places.

“One option could be for a multi-storey car park on the site, but we’ll have to see what happens.”