As we step into 2025 many people will be wondering what developments could be on the horizon in their local community. The county is undergoing huge changes and many of them will shape the county in 2025 and leaving a lasting impact.
From high rise tower blocks offering more housing to a brand new railway station, there are several developments that will permanently change the county. We have taken a look at some of the huge developments that will see considerable changes to our towns, cities and villages.
Here is a rundown of them – including details of what was approved, if dates have been set for work to begin and when it will be likely we will see the finished development.
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Rising tower block opposite railway station with room for 550 homes (Southend)
More than 550 new homes have been approved for an Essex city which are set to become a “landmark” development for the area. The new plans for Alexander House in Victoria Avenue, Southend, opposite the city’s Southend Victoria station will see the block completely changed into five new areas.
(Image: Comer Homes)
The former HMRC offices will be transformed into areas called East Pavilion, West City, East Street, West Pavilion and East City. A total of 557 new homes, including affordable housing, will be delivered after plans were approved by Southend-on-Sea City Council.
A starting and finishing date for construction is not currently known.
Beaulieu Station and long-awaited bypass (Chelmsford)
The construction of the Beaulieu Park Station in Chelmsford has been a hotly-anticipated project for many years. The new station is part of a wider project that includes new roads and thousands of homes in Chelmsford.
It’s been under construction for more than a year and transport bosses hope it will be ready for residents to use by the end of 2025. When it opens it will be the first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich for more than a century.
Meanwhile a major new road to connect the railway station with the rest of the city will begin construction this year. The first stage of the Chelmsford North East Bypass is expected to start in “early 2025” to connect with Beaulieu Parkway in the south. The project should be completed in spring 2026.
Huge £220m plan for 600 homes (Colchester)
A new £220 million development will build 600 new homes in Colchester. Developers Weston Homes have secured planning approval for ‘Viridis’ in Stanway which features a mix of 420 private units and 180 affordable homes.
The site – close to London Road and Turkey Cock Lane – is located just a four-minute drive from Marks Tey Station, which provides direct train links to London Liverpool Street in under an hour.
A starting and finishing date for construction is not currently known.
New ‘first of its kind’ SEND school (Rayleigh)
A new ‘state of the art’ special needs school with space for almost 200 children is in the pipeline for Rayleigh in south Essex. The new school will be built off Rawreth Lane and form part of the 136-home Wolsey Park estate in the town.
Andy Hodgkinson, Zenith CEO, Mark Francois MP, Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council at the new school site
(Image: Essex County Council)
The new school will be split across two sites, with another 40 places will also be created at the former Chetwood Primary School site in South Woodham Ferrers, taking the new special needs school’s total capacity to 190 pupils. The new school is due to open in Autumn 2026.
Former pub to be cleared for almost 500-home tower blocks (Basildon)
A former Wetherspoons pub will be demolished to make way for a major development with almost 500 new homes in Basildon. The vacant Moon on the Square site in Market Square, Basildon, will be demolished with building works due to start in spring 2025 and completion forecast for summer 2027.
The plans were first submitted in 2020 and revised in August 2021. They were initially rejected but, after an appeal, they received the green light in December 2021.