Laindon can look forward to a brighter future after multimillion-pound projects to rebuild two troubled estates were revealed.

Basildon Council has unveiled huge revamp projects for the Five Links estate and Royal Court tower blocks.

The plans would mean there would be just one tower block left in the Basildon district - Brooke House, in Basildon town centre.

The plans include demolishing the two yob-plagued tower blocks, housing 96 flats, and develop an estate of 160-new flats and houses.

The council is now considering this planning application.

Tony Ball, Tory executive housing councillor, said: "Provided the council's development control committee approves the Five Links application, we could be looking at Swan Housing starting work later this year.

"This will mean a huge part of the estate has been rebuilt since we began phase one in the late 1990s."

Mr Ball added: "Plans for Royal Court are at earlier stages, but we are now consulting residents over two possibilities - one with secure, underground parking, or the other with a ground-level car park."

If approved, a complex of homes and flats could be built on the current parking and recreation area towards the end of the year before the tower blocks are demolished.

Residents would be moved to the new homes and the remaining new flats would be built on the former tower blocks' site.

A planning application for Royal Court is expected next month.