A developer has been chosen to transform the 187-acre Shoebury Garrison - but site owners the Ministry of Defence are refusing to reveal who it is yet.

They are also staying tight-lipped on the exact plans for the site until negotiations over contracts and the sale of the site are complete.

All they would say today is that the plans fit closely with Southend Council's planning brief for a mix of housing and commercial development on the site.

It is known, however, that the plan for a £50 million marina complex submitted by the Shoebury-based Lewis Harris Partnership has been rejected.

There has been years of speculation about the future of the site since the last resident battalion left in the late 1970s.

In the past 20 years the Government has sold off parcels of land from the site, including a large section for factories and the former hospital which was converted into the Captain Mannerings pub and restaurant.

Many of the 19 listed properties on the site have been left disused for up to 25 years and include barracks, officers' quarters and the commandant's house.

Still standing is a clock tower, a parade ground, cricket pitches, two old style red telephone boxes, the garrison church, hospital and officers' mess.

Ian Hay, head of disposals at the MoD's defence estates east office, said: "A decision has been made. It is now in the hands of solicitors to proceed to an early completion.

"We have accepted a bid for a project that the council feels it can work closely with. The successful bidder has submitted proposals which fit with the planning brief."

He added: "Defence Estates is quite happy because it is also the highest bidder.

"It is not MoD policy to reveal any more information until the purchaser wants us to."

A council spokeswoman said no planning application had been submitted yet.

She said: "The timescale of deciding the planning application will be a long one because it is such a big project.

"We do know that the plans we have seen are similar to those in the planning brief, which includes some residential and commercial development."

Uncertain future - only time will tell if the garrison's clock tower will survive redevelopment

Picture: MAXINE CLARK

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