Plans for a new car park, modern homes and a vibrant mixed-use community space in Clacton town centre have been given the green light.

The development sets the stage for the transformation of the former Carnarvon House site and existing High Street car park, on Carnarvon Road, as part of the planned new Clacton Civic Quarter.

This exciting development, which was approved by Tendring District Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday, 4 March, will feature 28 contemporary homes and a new multi-storey car park alongside the community space, which will include creative workspaces.

The Civic Quarter will also include a new publicly-accessible urban realm, which will benefit from a range of hard and soft landscaping features.

This project is a key element of a £30million town centre regeneration initiative, following a successful bid by Tendring District Council (TDC) and its partners to the Government.

The wider plans also include the redevelopment of the current Clacton Library site, led by Essex County Council, which is part of a separate planning application.

The refurbished library will boast state-of-the-art learning spaces, an Adult Community Learning Centre, local registration services, and space for the University of Essex’s new Centre for Coastal Communities and the Clacton and District Local History Society Museum.

Councillor Ivan Henderson, TDC Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism, said: “I warmly welcome the planning committee’s decision to approve this ground-breaking development, which will help to regenerate key sites in the heart of Clacton.

“The design has been shaped by community feedback to ensure it meets residents' needs, such as improving feelings of safety on the site, as well as significantly enhancing the look of the area.

“This initiative is central to our vision for Clacton, providing quality new homes in the town centre alongside business opportunities and community spaces, while improving residents' quality of life, and inspiring greater community pride.

“I’m particularly pleased that the new homes will achieve high levels of sustainability by using modern designs and efficient new technologies, such as heat pumps, to substantially reduce energy consumption, and that the planting scheme will bring biodiversity and nature to the town centre.”

Work is currently underway to develop a strategy for the civic spaces ahead of the planned completion in 2027. Organisations interested in using the spaces should contact regeneration@tendringdc.gov.uk.

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