A former old people's home could be reduced to a pile of rubble.

The future of the Bungalow in Rochford hangs in the balance today as Essex County Council decides what to do with it.

The building, just off North Street in the town centre, has stood empty for more than a year after it was closed.

The former Essex County Council owned and run care home was shut down to save money but is now being vandalised and damaged.

Around £30,000 from county council coffers has been spent on the empty shell trying to make it vandal proof.

At a meeting of Rochford's Town Centre Working Group, which is made up of Rochford district and parish councillors and representatives from the town's chamber of trade, members were told something needed to be done.

Alan Walker, of the county's property services department, said: "We are looking to secure a long term future for the site but it is our intention to seek permission to demolish the building.

"We are not saying it would definitely be pulled down, but if the vandalism problem gets too bad we would need to act quickly."

Campaigners, many of whom make up the town centre working group, fought long and hard to try and save the Bungalow when it closed.

But they now realise something needs to be done with the site.

Ideas such as using the land as an overflow car park for the town centre, turning the building into a library and opening it up as a garden have been put into the melting pot.

They are also disgusted with the amount of money being spent on an empty building.

Labour district councillor for Rochford St Andrew's, Maureen Vince, said: "I am astounded £30,000 has been spent trying to prevent vandalism.

"I assume there are no security guards."

Mr Walker said: "We take no pleasure in buildings standing idle."

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