A NEW primary school, hundreds of homes and a parade of shops will be built on a former South Essex College site as the college relocates to Basildon Town Centre.

The relocation of the college’s Basildon site in Nethermayne, will see the building demolished and the site, along with adjacent land, be used to build 725 properties.

Planning permission has also been granted for the college’s new digital technology centre on the former market site in Basildon.

These plans include a three-storey campus focusing on IT and digital technologies, plus public open space, shops and landscaping.

Basildon market has been relocated to a new purpose built facility on St Martin’s Square - which officially opened to traders and the public on October 4.

Tony Hedley, Basildon Council’s chairman of the regeneration committee, said: “This is a great example of how services can work together to deliver community benefit.

“The college is a key part of the borough’s future and it is a real opportunity to have a state-of-the-art facility right in the heart of a regenerated town centre alongside the new market, which is bringing 46 modern kiosks into St Martin’s Square.”

The homes development is part of the Dry Street development, which will see thousands of homes built in the area.

The college has also opened the first phase of its Stephenson Road site, in Southend, housing industrial facilities for motor vehicle, engineering and construction courses.

The state-of-the-art site, off Progress Road, will provide students with a purpose built facility for all their education and training needs in motor mechanics and the construction trades.

Anthony McGarel, deputy principal and chief executive of South Essex College, said: “Our ambition is to equip more young people with the right skills to secure jobs in important industries for the UK economy.

“The college’s new developments which specialise in certain sectors will do just that, bringing much needed education, training and skills facilities to the area.”

The land next to the former South Essex College premises, roughly the size of 33 football pitches, is owned by Homes England.

Senior specialist Steve Greener said: “Homes England is delighted to be a major contributor towards this public and private partnership project which will deliver high quality housing, provide a new market and a brand new college campus in Basildon Town Centre.

“This project really illustrates Homes England’s ability to intervene in the housing market to create great places to live and work by helping home builders and communities.”