CANVEY will receive £20million in funding from central Government to help “revitalise and rebuild” the declining town centre, it was revealed as part of yesterday’s budget.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that £20million would be allocated to Canvey as part of a levelling up grant to boost business on the island.

It comes after the Chancellor visited Canvey in 2017 and was impressed by the potential for the town centre to thrive through additional funding.

The fund is to be spent on new projects to improve Canvey town centre and create a new “town board” made up of Canvey community groups and businesses to be established in coming weeks.

The funding, spread across 10 years, will be allocated to the town board and separate from Castle Point Council.

MP Rebecca Harris, said: “This is hugely exciting. It could transform the future of the whole island.

“Canvey town centre has so much potential and this massive funding boost on top of the previous £1million levelling up funding the Government gave for the borough, if used wisely, could give Canvey a massive and well-deserved refresh.

“I arranged for Jeremy Hunt to visit Canvey town centre to meet and hear from businesses a couple of years ago and it looks like that groundwork has seriously paid off.

“I’m hugely grateful to him and the Prime Minister for this massive vote of confidence in our island.”

Darren Brown, owner of Brown’s Pet Range in Oak Road, Canvey, said: “I’ve been bending Rebecca’s ear about what independent firms need for years. She brought Mr Hunt to meet us in 2017 and I told him too.

“It’s a huge investment and could fund projects that could make a real difference to the island, particularly our town centre.

“We need changes to tax and business rates, and lots of other things, but this investment should be really good news for town centre traders.”

Former Canvey councillor, Ray Howard MBE, said: “This is fantastic news for Canvey.

“Canvey has a strong community and I know that the business and community groups that will make up the Town Board will come up with something special.

“Hopefully there will be big projects to improve our town centre and make our seafront more of a destination to benefit the local economy.”