LAKESIDE shopping centre’s £100million development plans will be hotly debated tonight .

The proposals could see a cinema, bars, restaurants, a hotel, gym, nightclub, comedy venue and bowling alley all built within a new town square, which will connect the existing shopping centre with Alexandra Lake.

For full coverage of the meeting visit www.thurrockgazette.co.uk and check out our live blog from 7pm tonight.

The large, open town square will be capable of hosting Christmas and farmers’ markets, music shows and could even screen sports events.

The new development is estimated to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs - and 660 construction jobs.

The plans are part of a whopping £300million which owners Intu are ploughing into Lakeside.

A further £180million proposal to expand the Debenhams end of the centre and build 40 new shops got the go-ahead in August, 2012.

There is currently no timescale for when work will start.