A total of 14 bids have been lodged with the council to develop the contaminated gas works site and corporation loading pier on Southend seafront.

Lib Dem Southend Council leader David Elf said he was delighted with the amount of interest in developing the two sites on Eastern Esplanade.

Mr Elf, councillor for Prittlewell, added: "It's rather encouraging at this stage."

Specialist property consultant Donaldson will whittle down the 14 bids to a shortlist of four to six companies over the next eight weeks.

The shortlist will be considered again by councillors - possibly by mid-April - but no details have been released yet as to which companies have offered to develop the two sites.

Last year, the company Majestic Marine and Leisure, made up of Southend businessmen, ditched its plans to develop the loading pier following a wrangle with the council.

The firm had gained preferred bidder status to develop the site with a top-class restaurant replica of the Titanic's sister-ship, the Majestic.

However, the company failed to submit bids by a July 1 deadline last year.

The council gave the firm an extension but leaders of the company decided to withdraw and the jetty - along with the former gas works site - were re-advertised for development.

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