FRESH details have been revealed painting a picture of Southend’s new £500m Better Queensway scheme – with new apartment blocks rising to 18-storeys with stunning Thames Estuary views.

The huge project is set to change the face of Southend with the demolition of four high-rise flats’ blocks which have become a magnet for crime.

The ambitious project has changed markedly since it was first planned. A range of low to medium-rise buildings were first proposed in order to prevent people feeling isolated in high-rise flats.

Now Porters Place Southend, an alliance between Southend Council and Swan Housing to deliver the project, proposes a range of building heights and types, ranging from three right up to 18 storeys – some of which will have far-reaching sea views.

Echo:

Better-connected - the Queensway plans

The tallest building will be in line with nearby Alexandra House in Victoria Avenue.

Every new home to have private outside space with a garden, a terrace or a balcony.

There will be a concierge and CCTV will monitor the area to prevent a repeat of the current problems which blight residents’ lives.

There will be 1,669 homes, of which 512 (31 per cent) will be affordable homes.

Controversially, the Queensway underpass is set to be filled in but the four lane highway will be retained.

The tree-lined route will carry traffic through the estate around Porters roundabout and down to the seafront, providing an imposing gateway through the town.

Visitors to the town will travel through the Victoria Avenue area, where run-down office blocks have been transformed into imposing flats, through the modernised and landscaped Queensway estate on through a leafy route to the seafront.

Mike Smith, former secretary of the Queensway Residents’ Association, said: “It is very much in keeping with what we saw in the last exhibition. It all looks very nice so let’s hope this is the way it ends up. Right from the beginning the council wanted better connectivity because Queensway splits the town in two.”

Geoff Pearce, chairman of the Porters Place Southend Board, said: “The residents and their feedback have been central to our approach and their voices are echoed in the proposals.

"We are committed to getting this project right, not just for the existing residents of Queensway, but for the whole of Southend ensuring the £500m we will be investing in Southend supports a bright future for the town.”

The Queenway £500m scheme: How the numbers stack up 

THE Queensway project represents a £500million investment in one of the most deprived areas of Southend.

Southend Council and its partners Swan Housing have a 50/50 shareholding in Porters Place Southend which will raise the capital to deliver the project.

The scheme is being kicked off with Government Housing Infrastructure Funding of £15m, secured in 2018 from Homes England for the project with a condition that these funds have to be spent by March 2023.

Much of this is earmarked for initial road changes.

The rest of the finance will be provided by Swan Housing.

Council leader Ian Gilbert said: “The council is contributing the value of the land and Swan Housing are using their resources to finance the building project.

“The end product will be owned on a 50/50 basis between the council and Swan Housing.

“We had £15million Government funding.

“The Government continues to look for projects to accelerate so we are on the look out for further available funding.”