Owners of the Chapel High centre are planning a multi-million pound investment to breathe new life into the precinct.

Axa Sunlife confirmed this week that it has architects and other experts working on new plans for the centre and that the project would "run into millions of pounds".

The company took control of Chapel High in January and has held a number of negotiations with Brentwood Council.

Alan Perkins, the surveyor responsible for the project at Axa Sunlife, said: "We will be looking to improve the quality of the environment and to encourage new tenants to move in.

"Axa Sunlife will be making a substantial investment. It will run into millions of pounds. Brentwood is a town we have sufficient confidence in to make that investment."

The company revealed it had only taken possession of Becket House at the end of June. Although Ford moved out of the building in 1993 its lease has only just expired.

Mr Perkins said making use of the building was crucial to restoring the "vibrancy" to Chapel High.

At the moment the project is in its early stages, but the company said it had appointed a team of architects and assistants who were hard at work.

Director of Economic Development at Brentwood Council, Russell Davies, was enthusiastic about the project. He said the authority, which owns the land on which Chapel High is built, would "actively encourage" a revamp of the precinct.

The revitalisation of Chapel High Shopping Centre has been cited as one of the most important priorities for Brentwood town centre.

Another priority has been town centre management, and business leaders and council chiefs have now met to form a steering committee to set up the planned new town centre partnership board.

The board is seen as a crucial step in improving the town centre and was one of the key recommendations in the recent URBED (Urban and Economic Development Group) report.

It will consider projects aimed at regenerating and revitalising the town centre's economy. The aim is to create a team drawn from key stakeholders in the town centre, such as retailers, the leisure sector and property experts.

Funding will come from the private and public centre, with the council pledging £25,000 to set the ball rolling.

Council leader, Cllr David Gottesmann, said he was delighted with the "positive commitment" displayed at the meeting.

Somerfield has quashed rumours that it is considering closing its Brentwood store.

A spokesman for the firm, which recently carried out an extensive and expensive refurbishment of its store in the Chapel High Shopping Centre, described the suggestions as "utter bunkum".

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