A YOUTH centre has been flattened to make way for more parking.

Leigh Youth Centre, at the back of Leigh Community Centre in Elm Road, shut last summer and the few groups who used it were relocated.

The cleared space forms part of the Elm Road development site, which Southend Council hopes will attract developers, so it can revamp the car park and surrounding area and provide improved parking, landscaping and housing.

The community centre will remain, as will the police station, but two houses, one privately owned and the former town council offices, would need to be removed to improve access to the site.