SEASIDE resorts in Essex need to develop a new economy to revive their flagging fortunes, according to the new leader of the county’s coastal regeneration.

Lord Hanningfield, the leader of Essex County Council and now the authority’s coast guru too, says water-based attractions, such as seal-watching and surfing, are the way to create jobs and pull in tourists.

He believes the area needs more attractions for visitors to splash their cash on and create thriving resorts with jobs for residents.

The Tory Lord said: “A lot of it can be associated with the sea – I don’t think we have exploited our coastline enough.

“I think there are still a lot more jobs to create using the sea.

“The future is increasing the number of tourists and increasing the spend of the tourists.

“We have to encourage people and that means we have to have things for them to spend money on.”

High-profile projects, including a new marina at Harwich, are under consideration to help boost tourism, and there will also be a new coastal regeneration agency set up to focus on improving the area.

Lord Hanningfield suggested Jaywick could be regenerated. He suggested returning it to a seasonal tourist area, with more amusements or, perhaps, even a major attraction, such as a theme park.

Residents living in poor-quality houses would be encouraged to move to affordable housing outside of the immediate district, and tourists would be encouraged back into the area.

He said getting the area cleaned up is a priority.

Lord Hanningfield claimed business people could benefit from training programmes.

He wants to see more pubs offering gastro fare and said he could not believe there is no major coffee chain in Clacton.

There are hopes more money can be brought in through funding from the Government, Europe and groups, such as the East of England Development Agency.

But the county council is also prepared to dip into its own pocket to help make big changes.

Lord Hanningfield said: “Essex County Council has got to bite the bullet, so we are going to invest money and do it ourselves.”

But it will not all be big-budget projects. He said: “You can do a lot for £10,000 here, or £20,000 there.”

The council leader said he particularly wanted to work on the area between Harwich and Jaywick, commenting: “I am really disappointed about how little has been done over all the coast.

“Why don’t we try to get it back to what it was in the Fifties and Sixties? It was highly successful, with a lot of jobs.

“I would not have dreamed that I would be saying Tendring is among the most deprived areas in the whole of Essex. I would not have believed it. It is wrong.”

Essex County Council has set up its own coast taskforce with Lord Hanningfield at the helm.

The next stage is to form a coastal regeneration agency with the likes of Tendring Council and other partners to oversee improvements to the district’s seaside resorts.

Lord Hanningfield said he expects to see the effects of the team’s work within five years.

He added: “Let’s try to deliver some of that potential and make the coast as important as it was in the Fifties and Sixties.

“Let’s take Tendring back to being a place people want to go to for a day, a weekend, or even longer.”