A DEVELOPER is being sought to lead a £300million town centre regeneration as Southend Council pushes on with plans to demolish four crumbling tower blocks.

The Pennine, Malvern, Chiltern, and Quantock blocks, all off Queensway, Southend, will be replaced with one, two and three bedroom homes and shops.

From May, the authority will be looking for a private firm to help fund, build and manage the Queensway Project.

Contracts are set to be signed by March 2018 - clearing the way for work to begin.

It comes after Southend Council received £129,000 in Government funding to speed up the process.

A new report to the council’s cabinet shows that all 441 tower block tenants will be rehoused in the new development.

A further 759 homes will also be built, which will either be sold off or privately rented.

Discussions are still underway over what will happen to the current residents while demolition and building work is ongoing. It is possible they may be able to stay in their existing flats until their replacement homes are ready.

Those who do not want to be part of the new development will have the chance to move away from the Queensway estate by applying to join Southend Council’s housing register. They will be given priority over those already on the list.

Ann Holland, deputy council leader, said: “I am pleased that this project is progressing so well. It is the biggest and most ambitious and transformational regeneration project that the council has undertaken in recent memory and it’s vital that we follow due process and get this detailed work done before starting the procurement process.

“We are clear that residents will be offered new tenancies on the same terms and conditions as their current tenancies and will be offered assistance to move if they do not want to be part of the regenerated estate through a newly created local letting policy.

“The reports also clearly sets out what we want from the project and what we expect from any partner, to ensure that we deliver our aims and ambitions for the current residents of the Queensway estate, the council, and the Borough as a whole.”

It is expected that tenants will retain the right to buy clause and keep the same conditions as their current tenancies.

A transport report has been completed, which will allow traffic to travel in and out of Short Street, a reconfigured Southchurch Road and widened Chichester Road. There will be a realigned one-way link between Southchurch Road and Sutton Road.