About this consultation

We know that people care passionately about Southend, that you think the seafront, mature parks and rich history across the town should be protected. We know that many people who live in Southend value how special it is.

Alongside the need for protection of these special qualities we also need to provide for the future, the needs of our children and young people, the needs of a rapidly growing population (including older people) and the need for businesses to thrive and prosper. We all need to live in good quality aordable homes, and to live in thriving and healthy communities with easy access to shops, services and facilities which make them a vibrant and sustainable place to live.

We know that Southend’s businesses are varied, that they are important to communities and visitors, want to grow, and need our support and encouragement to do so. We understand the need for a competitive local economy including the value of tourism to the town.

Meeting these varied needs requires some tough choices to be made on how we use land, how we design buildings and communities, where and how we develop. To make sure these choices are made in the public interest we would like to hear your views on what it should say.

The local plan needs to be followed when we make decisions on planning applications, unless there are good reasons not to. That is why we need your help.

For more Information See the Government’s Plain English Guide to the Planning System.

The local plan is an important document in shaping Southend’s future. In some areas the current development plans for Southend contain policies that are fairly new, such as the airport and development of some major sites in the town centre. However in some areas, such as meeting pressing housing needs, they are out of date and now need to be reviewed and updated to plan for the next twenty years.

This consultation gives an early opportunity for everyone to express their views on what the new local plan should say about the future development of Southend.