Plans for a new Southend United stadium coming to fruition is the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of work for club chairman Ron Martin.

In an exclusive interview with the Echo, Mr Martin said work on the new stadium could soon start if councillors look favourably on the plans.

He said: “Over the next few weeks, we hope, the club’s planning application, submitted in April of this year, will be presented to the council’s planning committee.

“If approved, we will then be in a position to press on with construction of the new stadium.”

The plans initially hinged on Sainsbury’s building a large, new supermarket at the Roots Hall ground, in a deal that would have kick-started the new stadium, but the deal floundered.

However, the financial picture is looking rosier for the club now.

Mr Martin said: “There has never been a better period to advance the club’s plans. The original approval in 2008 was thwarted by the banking crisis following which the club had to some extent tread water whilst Sainsbury’s progressed their plans.

Read more: Exclusive images for the new Southend FC stadium, Fossetts Farm

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“We have since needed to rethink the development of Roots Hall as a result of Sainsbury’s focus in moving away from large flagship stores to convenience stores and increased online shopping fundamentally affecting their market.

“Large superstores quickly became a thing of the past and in 2015 Sainsbury’s who were, at one time, the club’s pivotal partner in delivery of our new stadium plans, first mooted their intention to review the plans for Roots Hall.

“As a consequence, we have had to financially remodel the entire development at Fossetts and Roots Hall.

“Both are major contributors to the club’s objectives so that the project is both sustainable and debt free, allowing the club to compete and grow.

“The club is ambitious to get back to the Championship in our new home.”

Mr Martin said the new stadium will be “the springboard for the club to fulfil its potential”.

The club has a pool of 171,000 residents as potential visitors to the complex, rising to 342,000 with Rochford and Castle Point. Beyond those immediate boundaries and within a 35-minute drive time the club reaches out to 630,000 people.

Mr Martin added: “At Roots Hall while it has a great atmosphere (well when we’re winning!) it is increasingly no longer sustainable for the modern era.

“We do our best but acknowledge the facilities are relatively poor, and certainly by comparison of what we are planning.”

Mr Martin said the new stadium would be a huge boost to the town and its economy.

He said: “The new stadium will be a shining beacon to the town’s future and a catalyst for more investment and growth of the local economy.”