Seaway Project

The Seaway Leisure scheme is a proposed private-sector led development of a cinema, hotel, restaurants, leisure space and car parking on the site of the current council-owned Seaway car park.

History

As part of the Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP), the Seaway car park was identified for redevelopment for a high quality mixed-use leisure scheme.

In 2012, Turnstone Estates contacted us on behalf of Cineworld plc, who were looking for a 4 acre site in Essex to develop a cinema and leisure scheme. Cineworld had previously identified Southend-on-Sea as an appropriate location and engaged Turnstone Estates to bring a scheme forwards.

A report was then considered by Economic and Environmental scrutiny committee on 29 November 2012 before being presented to Cabinet on 8th January 2013 (minute 637). Cabinet agreed that we should enter into a conditional contract with Turnstone for the development of Seaway car park. The decision was noted by the Economic and Environmental scrutiny committee on 31 January 2013 (minute 744) and then by Full Council on 28th February 2013.(minute 890 and minute 916).

We and Turnstone Estates then entered into detailed negotiations and following independent ‘best consideration certification’ in accordance with s.123 of the Local Government Act 1972, we and Turnstone entered into an agreement for lease and sale on 10 December 2014. This was reported to Cabinet on 6th January 2015.

This agreement prescribes conditions which must be met by both parties before a lease is granted. At the current time the lease has not been granted.

In early 2015, Cineworld unfortunately withdrew from the scheme. The delivery of the scheme was therefore delayed whilst Turnstone secured a new cinema anchor tenant. Turnstone has now contracted with Empire Cinemas to provide a cinema and has an IMAX licence in place.

A planning application (application reference 18/02302/BC4M) was submitted on Friday 7 December 2018. The details of the application are available to view on the planning portal.

A detailed report was considered by the council’s cabinet on Thursday 17 January 2019. You can read the report and minutes on our democracy pages (minute 605).

It was also discussed at the Policy and Resources scrutiny committee on Thursday 31 January 2019. You can read a number of detailed supporting documents relating to the project on our democracy pages.

The matter was also debated at Full Council on 21 February 2019 where Councillors voted 34:12 to note the report and the recommendations made in it.

The current position

The planning application has been through the formal planning process including the relevant statutory consultation. The council’s Development Control Committee considered the application on 15 January 2020 where a decision was deferred.

Read the development control report on our democracy pages

Following that meeting, Turnstone made an appeal against the Council’s non-determination. The Council’s Development Control Committee reconvened on 27 May 2020 and resolved That the Planning Inspectorate be informed that, had an appeal for non-determination not been submitted and the Committee had the power to determine the application, the Committee would have granted planning permission subject to the conditions.

The Planning Inspectorate upheld the appeal and issued its decision granting planning permission for the proposed development subject to various conditions on 9 October 2020. The appeal documents are available on the on the planning portal.

Subsequently, two applications to vary conditions relating to external seating, renewable energy and the timing of the BREEAM certificate under references 20/02156/AMDT and 21/00705/NON have also been granted permission with decisions issued on 11 October 2021 and 28 July 2021 respectively.

The Cabinet considered a further report on 25 February 2020. Cabinet decided to maintain support for the Seaway scheme rather than to seek to terminate the Agreement. Read the cabinet report on our democracy pages.

In addition, a special Council meeting was held on 9 March 2020 to discuss “Second extension to Turnstone Estates in respect of the proposed Seaway Development.” Read more and view the webcast on our democracy pages.

A further report was presented to Cabinet on 2 November 2021. This report set out a proposed new funding structure for Seaway Leisure, including the use of £10m of the council’s reserves as an equity investment. This equity investment reduces the amount of finance required, therefore reducing the income risk and improving the commercial performance and return to the council arising from the proposed financial structure. Cabinet approved the report and that decision is now subject to the usual Scrutiny process. Read the cabinet report on our democracy pages (item 4).