The creation of an improved public realm, to make the central area attractive, distinctive and memorable is at the heart of realising the Masterplan's objectives, and especially in the sense of celebrating the town centre’s position by the side of the sea.
The town is one of the most visited coastal resorts in the UK, and its seafront and beach have entertained and won the affection of generations of visitors.
We together with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council are now planning a revival of the commercial seafront by commissioning new landscape proposals for over 1.1 km of its length, stretching from the pier entrance to the site of the former Corporation Jetty. This work will identify a new contemporary space, with year round appeal, building upon the seafront’s proud Victorian heritage, and yet in tune with today’s lifestyles and seaside attractions. The work is being funded through HM Communities and Local Government.
The objectives included in the Design Brief are:
- To reinvent the Seafront and create a resort experience that can be dynamic, invigorating and recuperative, and fits with today’s lifestyles and recreational expectations.
- To transform the Seafront into a year round recreational experience for residents and visitors, offering opportunities for fun, relaxation and healthy exercise and learning in a high quality natural environment
- To provide residents, of all ages, and businesses with the opportunity to influence the design outcomes and contribute to the creation of an iconic and defining feature of the town
- To build on the Victorian tradition of the town and its maritime associations
- To introduce a 21st century healthy living ethic to the Seafront experience
- To respect the ecological status of the foreshore
- To explore opportunities for the introduction of quality and enduring public art and illumination
- To address the sustainability agenda in terms of mitigating flood risk, rainwater disposal and renewable sources of energy
- To create a landscape that is characterized by the green vision of the Thames Gateway
- To give expression to the transport, movement and car parking strategies described in the Masterplan and SSBC’s Local Transport Plan 2
- To give expression to the design standards described in the Masterplan and SSBC’s ‘Design and Townscape Guide’
Public consultation to inform the development of design proposals should take place in Spring 2008.