SOUTHEND High Street’s former job centre site is set to be revamped after plans for a new charity shop were unveiled in a move which leaders say shows the city is “open for business”.

The British Heart Foundation has submitted two planning applications to take over the former Job Centre site at 107-109 High Street.

The High Street job centre, which was set up in the wake of the pandemic, shut its doors in July last year.

The new planning applications are for signs as well as refurbishment of the doors and paint work.

This comes after The British Heart Foundation closed their store in Basildon, back in August 2022.

The charity already has a store in Southend, which is located at 13 High Street.

This current site is much smaller than the proposed one at the former vacant Job Centre unit, near KFC.

It is unclear at this stage if the current store will close if plans are approved for the bigger site.

Colin Campbell, Conservative councillor responsible for economic growth and investment, said: “It is fantastic to see the British Heart Foundation planning to open another retail unit. They are a great charity, and their proceeds go to a very worthy cause.

“It will be very nice to have that massive corner unit reopened and for it to stop being a blight on the high street. For too long, the High Street has had vacant and empty units, and it doesn’t reflect well for our city. Southend is open for business and new investment, and I am banging the drum and making this case daily.

“We are rejuvenating the high street and our city’s commercial offer, and this is another big step in the right direction.”

If approved, plans would see new signs facing the high street, as well as signs to the side down Clifftown Road. Some of these will be with LED internal illumination.

The British Heart Foundation has been contacted for comment by the Echo.