Southend Timeline
Bringing Your Memories Back to Life
There have been a number of schemes proposed to build a marina in Southend with at least eight being proposed since 1970 none of these have ever got as far as reality, some made it as far as models whilst others only made it as far as an artist impression.
1960's - 70's Proposal
One of the Marina projects would have seen Eastern Esplanade entirely change with a new sea front and marina being built. A car ferry service would have linked Southend to Sheerness and continental ports. A Monorail service would have also been built linking the major elements of the marina, to the High Street and on to a direct link to the Southend Victoria and Southend Central stations on the British Rail main line to London.
It was estimated that the build would have taken between 4-5 years to build.
1. Residential
2. Hotel/Restaurant
3. Exhibition Hall
4. Open Air Exhibition Hall
5. Holiday Chalets
6. Boat Building/Chandlery
7. Private Mooring Chalets
8. Botel
9. Admin/police/Fire
10. Sports Complex
11. Restaurant
12. Yacht Club/Theatre/Nightclub
13. Shopping
14. Marine Village
15. Nightclub/restaurant
16. Hotel
17. Casino
18. Fishermans’ Chalets
19. Customs & Excise
20. Lock Control
21. Covered Parking
22. Pier Leisure Complex
23. Ferry Terminal
24. Fuel Station
25. Park/Recreational
26. Fun Fair
27. Flat /Office Development
28. Open Air Theatre
29. Boating Pool
30. Land Authority Housing & Holiday Accommodation
31. Hotel/Botel
32. School
33. Police/First Aid
34. Shopping Complex/Precincts/Maisonettes/Flats/Public House
35. Children’s Reception & Play Centre
36. Go-Cart & Mini Car Tracks
37. Seaside Traders
38. Shopping Complex/Precincts/Maisonettes/Flats
39. Restaurants/Public House
40. Hotel Shops
41. Rotunda L/A Administration
42. Entertainments Centre
43. “Disneyland”/Swimming Pool
1970's-80's Proposals.
A much more ambitious marina scheme was announced in the 1970’s/80’s for a marina built on its own island!
It would be connected to the main land via bridges and the pier. Attractions would have included a sports centre, hotel, housing, golf course, swimming pools and other facilitys.
The island
Fun Pools
Pool
Hotel
The island and sea water lagoon.
1980's Proposal
A much more modest scheme was proposed in the mid-1980's this was to be built arund the old Corporation Loading Pier and designed as a haven for Tall Ships.
2008 Marina:
A £100million proposal was put forward plan for a marina on Southend seafront, the scheme by a consortium of Southend businessmen led by Don Ladell, joint owner of the Seaking boatyard in Leigh old town. The proposal was centred round the now demolished Corporation Loading Pier, with new concrete piers being built to encompass an area of the foreshore as the main mooring facility.
The marina was designed to take up to 80 yachts as was predicted to be open by 2012, providing planning permission was quickly granted. The proposed design would have had a Victorian design and have been called “Southend Victoria Marina.”
Other members of the marina consortium included Laurrie Hilsum, a Lloyds broker, and Michael Johnson, of the former Leigh boatbuilding family, Johnson, Son and Jago.
The main marina building would have included a home to a new yacht club. The scheme just faded away and the Corporation Loading Pier has since been demolished.