Huge £575million plans to bring hundreds of homes to Queensway in Southend have been given the green light.

The major Queensway plans will see 1,760 new homes built, in blocks ranging from three to 18-storeys.

The approval in a special meeting tonight comes despite Tory concerns for the amount of traffic congestion the plan will create.

Officials hit back in the meeting, and insisted the closure of the underpass and a new road through Queensway will only add on 30 second wait time at the Queensway roundabout for drivers.

Pedestrians will see a two minute drop in crossing times, with several above road crossings on the new road set to be installed.

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Southend Council and Swan Housing are behind the ambitious, ten-year blueprint, involving the demolition Quantock, Chiltern, Malvern and Pennine tower blocks and the residential maisonettes fronting Sutton Road.

They will be replaced with modern homes with shops, cafes, offices, a nursery, recording studios, a brewery and bakery.

Council officers confirmed none of the homes will see solar panels on the roofs, but some will have "grass roofs."

But all of the homes will have a garden or terrace.