Basildon town centre's regeneration is at the top of the to-do list for the new Labour administration as council leader Gavin Callaghan has vowed to bring “high-quality retailers” alongside bars and restaurants.

Gavin Callaghan was elected as council leader last Thursday as a new administration took control - made up of 18 Labour councillors and six Independent group councillors.

When the council was last under Labour control four years ago, Mr Callaghan spearheaded the town centre masterplan which included plans for up to 4,000 high-rise homes, a new transport hub and improvements to the Towngate Theatre.

Now, he has revealed his aim to not just bring new housing to the town centre. The new administration has also vowed to bring back "high-quality retailers", alongside high quality restaurants and bars.

Mr Callaghan, who will also be councillor responsible for finance, resources, and regeneration, said: “Our regeneration plan will not just be about housing – as important as that is. We will ensure we bring back the high-quality retailers that our town centre desperately needs.

“We will bring business and their employees back into the town centre and off of our industrial estates. We will ensure there is a modern, high quality, food and beverage offer.

“And crucially, we will ensure we devote as much time to improving the parking, the lighting, the streetscape and the security of our town centre so that whatever time of the day people choose to use our shops, bars and restaurants, they are safer in Basildon than they ever have been.”

Developers are poised to start work on four tower blocks with 495 homes on the old M&S in Basildon.

It comes after construction works began on a 492-home tower block plan at the former Wetherspoon pub Moon on the Square's site. These works are expected to last around three years.

This also comes alongside work rapidly moving forward on the new Vue cinema and Wetherspoon pub, the King of Essex, which are situated opposite each other in the town centre's East Walk.

A number of new eateries are also opening at the Eastgate shopping centre including the Chopstix noodle bar, Comboco Mexican restaurant and the Caffe Royal London coffee shop.