A HARDLY-USED youth centre which cost £2.9million to build could receive cash from Southend Council to encourage people to use it.

The ShoeburyYouth Centre, in Delaware Road, has been virtually abandoned since it was built in 2010.

However, Southend Council is considering work to the building to make it more attractive for schools, community groups and businesses.

At present, the media IT room, art room and dance studio are each used for just two hours a week.

The garage workshop at the site is used for just one hour a week, and the recording studio and gym are not used at all.

Tory councillor for Shoebury, Roger Hadley, says the council is thinking of adapting the centre to make it more accessible to local groups, schools and businesses.

He said: “We’re looking at remodelling the centre by knocking two rooms into one to make it more viable. This way the centre lends itself to more activities and will probably be more useful for people.

“We are heating and lighting the building and 50 per cent of it isn’t being used. We can’t have a half-empty building.

We’ve got to maximise the use of it.”

Shoebury Independent councillor, Mike Assenheim added: “The centre is being under-used for the simple reason that although it was built with youngsters’ input, these people are now young adults and have moved on.

“The rooms are far too small for practical use. The gym isn’t being used, which means there is thousands of pounds of equipment just sitting there doing nothing, and the IT centre technology is outdated.

"The centre doesn’t have wi-fi, so young people can’t even use their laptops there. They are going to the Baptist Church.”