Sainsbury's and Southend United have moved closer to redeveloping Roots Hall by submitting detailed plans for the store, car park and petrol station today.
The submission of the detailed plans, known as a Reserved Matters application, take Sainsbury's and Southend United nearer to redeveloping Roots Hall as a mixed use development that will include a new store, associated facilities and eventually 270 new homes.
The Reserved Matters application submitted today only deals with the store, petrol station and car park and follows the grant of outline planning permission for the whole site in June 2011. The application includes land covered by the east stand, part of the north stand and stadium car park, as well as several residential properties on Victoria Avenue and Prospects College.
A separate detailed application to replace St Mary's Court has also been made. It is proposed the new St Mary's court is built as part of the enabling works for the construction for the store to allow residents to be relocated.
Further individual applications will be made for other elements of the scheme.
Benefits of the redevelopment of Roots Hall will include:
- Facilitating Southend United's move to a purpose built, state of the art stadium at Fossetts Farm
- Increasing shopping choice and competition in Southend
- Providing around 350 new jobs locally- Improving and widening local roads to cope with increased trips
- Providing new pedestrian crossings on Fairfax Drive
- Reducing the need to travel to shop for the local community
- Delivering new housing, including new affordable housing for Southend in the future
- Sainsbury's will also maintain a store in the town centre
Crucially, the new development is contingent on the relocation of the football club to its proposed new stadium at Fossetts Farm. Sainsbury's have not purchased Roots Hall, as has been suggested, but approval of these planning applications will help pave the way and to commence construction of this exciting project.
Southend United Chairman Ron Martin said: "This submission is another step towards enabling the redevelopment of Roots Hall. This is required to enable our plans for a new stadium at Fossetts Farm which we expect to start on site in the New Year. The progress on the stadium complex will benefit the town of Southend and put its football club firmly on the map whilst also aiding Southend United's sustainable growth up the Leagues and success to be enjoyed by all the Clubs supporters.
Sainsbury's Regional Development Executive Robert Oxley said: "It is great to be able to submit this application, which takes us closer to building a new store to serve the Southend community, providing additional competition and choice for our customers.
"At the same time, we are very pleased to be able to support the town centre by maintaining a store within the town and by helping Southend United to move forward with their plans for a new stadium."
As part of the proposals, Sainsbury's will be working with Southend Borough Council to define plans for the wider redevelopment of the town centre, which will include retaining a store in the town centre.
Sainsbury's full press release can be downloaded from HERE.
