Once again Southend Council leader Nigel Holdcroft announces plans to knock things down and build more, (June 9), and once again it’s all about the town centre.

Having worked in retail for 20 years and spent a few years as a councillor in our town, I appreciate the importance of the town centre and am not anti-development, but it would be genuinely refreshing if the leader of the council announced some development that was not in the town centre.

There has always seemed to be an obsession with the town centre, sadly to the detriment of other areas around Southend.

We are fast becoming Concrete-on-Sea, a title in which I take no pride.

Urban development and especially redevelopment needs to be mixed. A sterile grey wilderness and a single High Street is not what Southend town centre deserves.

Councillor Holdcroft, you can do better than this.

The plans are just old rehashed schemes. Where is the original thinking in your new cabinet that’s going to improve the town?

It’s time to deliver.

Kevin Robinson
Brightwell Avenue
Westcliff