Southend Timeline The Marinas History of Southend-on-Sea.

The Marinas

There have been a number of schemes proposed to build a marina in Southend, with at least eight being proposed since 1970, none of these got very far, some made as models whilst others only made it to artist impression. 1960s - 70s Proposal One of the Marina projects would have seen Eastern Esplanade entirely change, with a new sea front and marina being built. A car ferry service would have linked Southend to Sheerness. A Monorail service would have also been built linking the major elements of the marina, to the High Street with a direct link to the Southend Victoria and Southend Central stations on the British Rail main line to London. It was estimated that the build would have taken between 4-5 years to build.

Southend Timeline Southend-on-Sea © 2009 - 2022 All Rights Reserved

Southend-on-Sea

1. Residential 2. Hotel/Restaurant 3. Exhibition Hall 4. Open Air Exhibition Hall 5. Holiday Chalets 6. Boat Building/Chandlery 7. Private Mooring Chalets 8. Botel 9. Admin/police/Fire 10. Sports Complex 11. Restaurant 12. Yacht Club/Theatre/Nightclub 13. Shopping 14. Marine Village 15. Nightclub/restaurant 16. Hotel 17. Casino 18. Fishermans’ Chalets 19. Customs & Excise 20. Lock Control 21. Covered Parking 22. Pier Leisure Complex 23. Ferry Terminal 24. Fuel Station 25. Park/Recreational

26. Fun Fair 27. Flat /Office Development 28. Open Air Theatre 29. Boating Pool 30. Land Authority Housing & Holiday Accommodation 31. Hotel/Botel 32. School 33. Police/First Aid 34. Shopping Complex/Precincts/Maisonettes/Flats/Public House 35. Children’s Reception & Play Centre 36. Go-Cart & Mini Car Tracks 37. Seaside Traders 38. Shopping Complex/Precincts/Maisonettes/Flats 39. Restaurants/Public House 40. Hotel Shops 41. Rotunda L/A Administration 42. Entertainments Centre 43. “Disneyland”/Swimming Pool

1970s - 80s Proposals A more ambitious marina scheme was announced in the 1970s/80s for a marina built on its own island! It would be connected to the main land via bridges and the pier. Attractions would have included a sports centre, hotel, housing, golf course, swimming pools and other facilities.

1980s Proposal A more modest scheme was proposed in the mid-1980s. This was to be built around the old Corporation Loading Pier and designed as a haven for Tall Ships.

2008 Marina A £100million proposal was put forward for another marina on Southend seafront, the scheme was by a consortium of Southend businessmen led by Don Ladell, joint owner of the Seaking boatyard in Leigh old town. The proposal was centred round the now demolished Corporation Loading Pier, the plan would see new concrete piers being built to encompass an area of the foreshore as the main mooring facility. The marina was designed to take up to 80 yachts, and was predicted to be open by 2012, providing planning permission was quickly granted. The proposed design would have been constructed with a Victorian design, and been called “Southend Victoria Marina.” Other members of the marina consortium included Laurrie Hilsum, a Lloyds broker, and Michael Johnson, of the former Leigh boat building family, Johnson, Son and Jago. The main marina building would have included a home to a new yacht club. The scheme just faded away, the Corporation Loading Pier has since been demolished.