A company is “very interested in building” a major arena in a south Essex town, which could draw in huge music, comedy or sporting events – the council boss has said.

Basildon Council is in discussions with firms regarding the possible new entertainment venue, with the authority leader saying it’s “stack up in terms of the economic modelling”. 

It comes as Labour council leader Gavin Callaghan is also looking into building a new hotel, shops, food and drinks businesses at the Westgate Shopping Park in the town.

Mr Callaghan has previously suggested that the arena would be at the site of the Westgate Shopping Park in the town and that it would have 5,000 seats.

He says the regeneration of the area will be phases, with the first phase coming to the planning stages in the next few months, then a second phase which is arena phase in the second half of next year, then there will be a phase three in 2026.

He also says he hopes people will start seeing the town changing, with cranes going up, building works starting to get underway, and a new look, new feel for the town.

Speaking on Facebook Live, Gavin Callaghan said: “I also had a meeting this week with a company who’s very interested in building South Essex Arena, and we’ve been doing the economic modelling of this, we’ve been looking at what could go into an arena in Basildon, the results are unbelievable really. You know live music, live entertainment, stand-up comedians, darts, boxing, live sports, snooker, you name it, the art of the possible is here for Basildon. 

“Because we’ve purchased the Westgate as a council we’ve got more opportunity to be able to put an arena in the town centre, so that is in its very early stages, I can’t pretend that there’s a planning application coming forward any time soon. It will be into 2025 before we get to planning for an arena, but it is all starting to stack up in terms of the economic modelling.

"What’s really, really interesting about that conversation is you start to see what happens to the wider economy when you bring in live music, sport, entertainment, stand-up comedians, and all of the businesses in the town centre all start to do a hell of a lot better, when you have more footfall and you have more people coming for restaurants, for bars, for shopping.”

Mr Callaghan first proposed the arena when he was last in power at the council in 2020. At a meeting in February, held to discuss the annual budget, the leader revealed the proposals as part of a huge master plan.