Ambitious plans by a developer to revive Southend's "second pier" have been sunk by Southend Council.
Businessman John Cross wanted to turn the delapidated and decaying jetty into a shopping mall, bistro-style restaurant and a specialised apartment-style hotel.
But his scheme for the former Corporation Loading Pier, east of Sealife Adventure, is now dead in the water, and Mr Cross claimed it could mean the jetty will be demolished.
When Mr Cross, owner of the Boatyard Restaurant in Leigh, first floated the scheme last year, the council agreed to postpone demolition and invited potential developers to submit business plans by the end of February this year.
Town clerk George Krawiec said: "The letter which we received from Mr Cross did not meet with the requirements of the council. It was made quite clear we needed a full business plan before the end of February, which we did not receive. Consideration is going on at the moment of plans submitted by another prospective developer."
The other company is the Robert Leonard Group, which is building the new hotel at the gasworks site near the loading jetty on the other side of Eastern Esplanade.
Published Thursday April 15, 2004
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