A GIANT TV screen could be used to show the Royal wedding and the Olympics at Festival Leisure Park.

Planning permission has been requested to put up the 4m high by 8m wide LCD screen for special events and advertising, as well as creating four two-storey shops in the park.

The aim is to create a “plaza” area in front of the main entrance for events, with widened pavements and shared spaces, as well as two new taxi ranks, lighting, planters and new paving.

At the moment, events like the ice rink, held in the winter, have to be in areas of the car park, but the management wants to create a specific area to make it safer.

This means there would be 120 fewer car parking spaces, but the design statement, prepared by Coleman Architects, says the loss of spaces would not affect the park and it would encourage people to use taxis and buses.

Tony Ball, leader of Basildon Council, said: “This type of investment in the Festival Leisure Park shows Basildon is the place for businesses to make great investments, despite the doom and gloom of the financial climate.

“The Sporting Village and Wat Tyler County Park demonstrates that we, as a council, are willing to offer a wide range of leisure facilities for the residents of Basildon.

“We want to celebrate our borough and allow the people of Basildon to reap the benefits.”

Malcolm Buckley, councillor responsible for the environment, added: “It is great news that an organisation plans to invest in the local area and we welcome this confidence in our borough.

“These plans are yet to be considered by Basildon Council and will be subject to our licensing and planning guidelines.”

Stuart Passingham, deputy general manager of the Quays pub and restaurant, said: “It is good advertising for everyone really.

“Hopefully, it will bring more people into the park and keep them in for longer.”

The plans are due to be decided by Basildon Council before April 22.