Building work on a £1.5 million extension to Southend's Victoria Plaza is set to begin within the next 12 months, it was revealed today.

Centre boss Bourne End Properties wants to build a two-storey glass-fronted shop over the Deeping underpass between the Odeon cinema and the former C&A store.

Negotiations for a new tenant to take over the building are still in the very early stages, said centre manager Richard Long.

Subject to planning agreements with Southend Council, building work should start this year.

The news comes less than a week after C&A, the centre's flagship store, closed down.

It was set to close on January 15 in line with ten other of the firm's stores nationwide because of a fall in profits and a restructuring of the business.

But store manager John Clark had warned it would close earlier if they sold all their stock - a move which came on Friday.

Mr Long said there was no replacement for C&A yet but that negotiations for the empty shop and the new one to be built were both under way with unnamed potential tenants.

He said: "Hopefully building work will start on the new unit this year.

"It will fill in the gap so that the Odeon and the next-door bank will be continuation of the High Street shops."

He said the existing walkway to the bus stops on Queen's Way would be maintained.

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