Build a multi-storey in the heart of Leigh (From Gazette)

Build a multi-storey in the heart of Leigh

1:00am Sunday 20th March 2011 in News

A MULTI-STOREY car park should be built in Leigh town centre, the leader of Southend Council says.

Nigel Holdcroft said a car park, shops and community facility could be built on the site of Leigh’s community centre, the police station and town council offices in Elm Road.

The site also includes a Connexions youth centre, a semi-detached house attach-ed to the town council offices, and a surface car park.

The Adult Education Centre will be moving to new premises at Belfairs School from September, leaving the community centre empty.

Mr Holdcroft said his idea could solve parking problems in that area of Leigh.

He added: “There are no plans on the drawing board. This is just my personal view. This is probably the best opportunity we will have in the foreseeable future to gain access to a significantly-sized development site, in relatively central Leigh.

“That’s the sort of discussion I would hope we would start to have with the town council, residents and traders in the coming months and years, to devise a scheme to enhance Leigh.”

The council owns the community centre, the town council offices, the car park and the Connexions building. Essex Police Authority owns the police station.

Any development of the site would need the co-operation of the town council, police and owner of the semi-detached house.

Mr Holdcroft said nothing would happen without a full consultation.

Traders gave the plans cautious approval, because of customer complaints about lack of parking, but also expressed concerns about losing the character of the area.