PROPOSALS to regenerate a town centre have moved a step closer.

Castle Point Council bosses have revealed their aim to get the long await Hadleigh revamp off the ground next year.

It includes converting and extending the town’s former fire station into luxury apartments, providing a new library and creating a tree lined town square.

The square will incorporate a library, a community meeting space and artists’ studios.

Previous incarnations of the scheme have appeared as far back as 2010, with council red tape halting progression.

However a breakthrough came in June last year as Hollybrook, the developer appointed to drive the project, revealed a draft blueprint of the plans.

Norman Smith, Tory councillor responsible for regeneration, says work is “nine tenths of the way there” and that legalities have proved the obstacle for progressing.

Mr Smith added that the authority is aiming to apply for planning permission “early in 2017” and is putting the finishing touches to a development plan He said: “There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes,but we are more or less there with a scheme that will be acceptable.

“Negotiations have involved four parties, Castle Point Council, Essex County Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and the fire service, so it has been a long process.

“We’ve appointed specialist advisers to make sure we are getting the best for our money, in terms of what the plans will look like, there’s a few minor tweaks to the plans revealed in June."

“Once an application is made, it will then go out to public consultation.”

The authority hopes that money made from 65 apartments to be built as part of the project will help to offset the cost of the scheme.

So far, no estimation has been given to the cost of the regeneration.

The plans come in the shadow of the failed £60million masterplan which was agreed in 2011 and later shelved when County Hall refused to back proposals including changes to the A13, in 2013.