Southend seafront flooding project funding could be lost

Levelling up funding obtained by Southend Council to rejuvenate part of Leigh Old Town could be lost if work doesn’t begin by March 2025.

A plan to provide a green oasis in Marine Parade, Southend seafront, to help prevent flooding could also under threat if it does not get underway by March.

The council has yet to announce a chosen contractor for the work but wants to start work next month.

Port - Old Leigh (Image: Julia Byczwnski)

A council audit report says progress on the Leigh Port scheme “remains limited due to ongoing conversations with Natural England”.

A planning application for the work which will involve revamping the quay and improved access for fishing boats at the port, cannot be submitted until the talks are completed.

Paul Collins, councillor responsible for finance, assets and investments, said urgent talks were underway with local MPs to urge the Government and Natural England to speed up the negotiations and to extend the deadline for the funding to be spent.

He said: “It’s not just Government grant. There is money we are putting in as well but we need to spend the Government money by that period. The plan is to spend the Government money by the end of March but the projects will still need further work on them after that period.

“We’re in conversations with members of Parliament because we want the Government to talk to this body on our behalf and try and push them along. Natural England are protecting the environment and will only allow work like this at certain times of the year so there is a very narrow window and they’re being very cautious about this project, digging into the creek and putting new walls up on the edge of the shell fish areas.

Want it done - Leigh fisherman Paul Gilson (Image: Gaz de Vere)

“They’re proving very slow and not willing to make a decision quickly and we need to push the Government to ask them to try to explain to them the situation we’re in. They are being very difficult but they are protecting the environment.”

Three schemes, including the work to regenerate the Cliffs Pavilion, attracted a total of £19.9 million levelling up funding.

Leigh fisherman Paul Gilson said: “If the paperwork hasn’t been done and other things haven’t been done who is at fault? I want it to be done. We’ve been on about this for so long and then to lose it at the last minute would be a bit of a tragedy.”

The Government was contacted for comment.