A Westcliff development company has been revealed as the firm behind plans for a major hotel development on Southend seafront.

The Robert Leonard Group, based in London Road, has forged links with Barratt Eastern Counties to drive forward the proposal for the gasworks site in Eastern Esplanade.

A new blueprint for the site was first revealed in a behind-closed-doors session of the Tory-led council's cabinet.

The company is also a partner with another Southend company, Regis Group, in the purchase of Thorpe Estates, which owns the freehold of the prestigious Thorpe Hall Golf Club in Thorpe Hall Avenue, Thorpe Bay, and other land in the town.

Barratt and Robert Leonard have until December 21 this year to put forward a scheme for the gasworks, before the council will consider any other bids for development on the site.

The matter has been called in for examination at the economic scrutiny committee on October 30, where discussion is likely to be in private.

Perry Gammon, managing director of the Robert Leonard Group, was unavailable for comment.

For more on this story see www.business-in-essex.co.uk

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