Construction work has commenced on a multi-million pound commercial workspace development in Jaywick Sands.

Contractors TJ Evers took over the site, off Lotus Way, at the end of April to prepare the area for construction.

The site will house 24 affordable business units, a ten-pitch covered market, training room, café, public toilets and community garden on the seafront. The project also includes upgrading the pavements and lighting on the former Sunspot site and surrounding land.

Lesley Wagland OBE, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning, said: "Any project of this scale takes a lot of planning, so to be at the point of spades in the ground on this scheme – which will deliver support for local businesses and local jobs for residents is something to be celebrated.

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"This new commercial space will provide affordable space for 25 businesses, a covered market, as well as a new community garden and I look forward to being able to visit again once the workspace is fully open.

"We have contributed £2.03m to the project, the Getting Building Fund, administered by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), has contributed £1.972m, and Tendring District Council has contributed £405,000 to date."

Tendring has been identified as a priority area in our Levelling Up Essex strategy.

Planning permission was awarded in July 2021, with the project directly supporting around 40 full-time equivalent jobs and 16 indirectly.

Overall the work will take 40 weeks, with the scheme due to open next Spring.