Section 1: Vision and strategy for the future
Southend needs to “Up its Game” if it is to prosper and grow in the future. It has assets which need to be further exploited and grown so that it can accommodate future population growth painlessly to the benefit of all of its people and businesses. It is unlikely that more of the same will work in the coming years. As there is no single group that can achieve this result, Southend council need to be leaders of this process. To achieve an optimum result, the council needs dynamic partnership with its people and businesses. Further, all its assets, people and location need to be exploited to achieve the best possible result. When unforeseen problems occur, as they undoubtedly will, they must be dealt with rapidly and in the short and long term interests of its entire people.
I suggest our objectives for the future should be:
Southend to be: prosperous, healthy, well educated in appropriate skills for the future, accessible from the rest of the UK and Europe, a major tourist destination, a safe environment for all, reduced atmospheric pollution and with no flooding risk from the sea and rainfall.
Southend has some excellent assets. It is a seaside location with about 7 miles of coastline. In addition to “bucket and spade tourism”, we need our beaches to be well advertised be fully exploited. Considering other tourism, the Cliffs Pavilion provides shows and concerts. Southend yacht clubs and Kite surfing are popular. Southend has a plethora of restaurants and entertainment.
Unfortunately it lacks world class road access and parking, although, uniquely for a town of its size, it has two main line railways, historically very popular with tourists. One section of the foreshore is out of bounds to residents and others as it is believed there is unexploded ordnance under the beach. The Ministry of Defence seems to be unwilling to confirm the level of risk or remove unexploded ordnance. This problem needs to be dealt with.
To achieve sustained success, for residents and visitors, our road access to the rest of the UK needs to be significantly improved. Southend, like many other towns and cities, is overwhelmed by road traffic. For the future, it is essential to discourage the use of cars and to ensure cars are replaced by minimum polluting alternatives giving a high public service. Currently, car and coach parking need to be sufficient to match current and future tourism until satisfactory alternative arrangements are available. Should high value businesses coupled with entrepreneurship be attracted to Southend, it seems likely that Southend could be very successful. Currently we have only one major business of this calibre
In addition to needing easy access from the UK and Europe, we need to improve our local public transport and create a bus station on the lines of the Preston (Lancashire) bus station, and Harrogate and Bath bus stations. A link is necessary between the pier and the local airport. A tramway, though expensive, running down the High Street will be beneficial for tourism and trade. The council and the rail and bus companies need to work together to encourage people to visit Southend from Leigh to Shoeburyness and to make East beach a premier destination.

Considering Shoebury (the wards of West Shoebury and Shoeburyness) national surveys indicate that Shoebury has a relatively low standard of health and income. Shoebury for years has been the poor relation of the rest of the borough. This needs to be changed. A raised standard of life, health, education and aspiration is essential for the future Shoebury to prosper in the future. Businesses tend to stay away from Shoebury because of access problems. Adequate high speed roads are needed to make Shoebury an attractive location. The ideal solution is a new motorway to the M25 which will potentially benefit the whole of Southend and the communities to the north of Southend, for example, Great Wakering.

As our major land asset is our beaches, we have the longest pleasure pier in the world and lots of eating places. We need to implement a plan to make Southend the best destination for tourists in South East England. We are close to a large population centre in east London.

New home delivery:
We understand that central government needs Southend to accommodate a further 80,000 houses.
Whilst Option 1 seems to be the ideal one, there is insufficient space within the current boundaries of Southend to match government’s requirement.
Option 3 seems to be the only one that could work. This is likely to change Southend, and to be unacceptable for current residents. It is unlikely that Essex County Council will agree make land available to Southend for 80,000 homes without the UK government compelling them to do so.
Employers are hesitant to locate in Southend because of its poor road links. This is likely to mean that Southend is likely to be a magnet for people with low incomes living in “affordable homes” should Southend be able to provide them.

The current infrastructure is challenged whenever there is very heavy rain and high tides. Additional homes will need more land that will be increasingly susceptible to flooding without significant raising of sea walls. The risk of flooding will be increased by isostatic readjustment.
It seems that Southend council will be in a trap if the UK Government insists on a further 80,000 homes in the current borders of Southend and will not be able to meet its current aspirations for its current people nor its future.