Better Queensway masterplan

Poor quality buildings, a sense of physical disconnection created by a busy dual carriageway, and public space that has been blighted by anti-social behaviour and crime have all created the need for change.

The Better Queensway project addresses the area’s problems by creating a new place for Southenders and visitors to enjoy, with its own sense of community and character. As a project that is central to the Southend-on-Sea 2050 vision for the future of the town, it will transform people’s perception of an important gateway to Southend by tackling crime and antisocial behaviour while also improving pedestrian and cycle connectivity to strengthen connections to the town centre and seafront.

The masterplan vision calls for a successful regeneration project that will stand the test of time, and which everyone in the town can feel proud of. Key to this is the provision of high-quality housing (including replacement homes for secure tenants living on the estate); improvements to the public spaces so people feel safe and secure; the use of design to encourage a sense of community; improved connectivity to and from the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists; and encouraging the use of sustainable travel and public transport options.

Opening up high quality and safe connections through this part of Southend unlocks the potential to create a more sustainable urban environment that not only promotes healthy and active modes of transport but also complements the natural and built assets of Southend.

Key to meeting this objective is a vision that starts with public realm and the life of the place, prioritising people’s health and wellbeing. The public realm strategy is anchored by a desire to connect people and the place through landscape, with a proposed park and network of green streets that put people in touch with nature and features coastal planting and trees to enhance the biodiversity value of the local network of parks and gardens.

A piece of highways infrastructure re-imagined as a ‘living street’, this dynamic public realm will provide pedestrian and cycle routes that promote healthy lifestyles, allowing all Southenders and visitors to weave their way through town to the waterfront. Additionally, a network of streets designed for people will connect into the surrounding urban area, including nearby open spaces such as Warrior Square.