Southend Council targets derelict sites with new 'Dirty Dozen' list
Southend-on-Sea City Council is cracking down on neglected and derelict sites with the launch of a new initiative: the “Dirty Dozen” list.
The scheme aims to highlight the city’s most problematic properties and encourage owners to bring them back into use.
Council Leader Cllr Daniel Cowan says the move is part of the Joint Administration’s 2025/26 priorities to tackle unoccupied, deteriorating, or unsafe buildings, as well as sites encroaching on public space.
The initiative draws inspiration from Christchurch, New Zealand’s successful “Dirty 30” program.
A new council policy on derelict and neglected sites has been introduced to deliver faster, more visible improvements by targeting enforcement and offering support where it is most needed. The policy focuses on:
Working with site owners to bring properties back into use or encourage sale to someone who can.
Council leader Daniel Cowan said:
“Neglected or derelict sites create negative perceptions for visitors and investors, holding back the city’s potential."
"We want Southend to be a thriving, vibrant city where people enjoy living, shopping, working, and visiting. Empty homes, boarded shops, and unbuilt developments go against that vision."
“This new approach will highlight these sites and engage with owners to expedite improvement, enhancing the city’s environment and investment potential.”
The Dirty Dozen
The current list of sites, which will be regularly reviewed, includes:
The Kursaal, Southchurch Avenue, SS1 2YX
7-11 Elmer Approach, SS1 1NE
Marine Plaza, Southchurch Avenue, SS1 2EY
New Empire Theatre Site, 22 Alexandra Road, SS1 1BU
Fisherman’s Wharf, Western Esplanade, SS1 1EE
170-174 High Street, SS1 1JS
25 Prince Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS2 6RL
153A, 153B, 153C & 155 Hamlet Court Road, SS0 7EL
The Old Vienna Site, 162 Eastwood Road, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 3AG
26 Leigh Hill, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2DN
Pier Hill Retail Units, Pier Hill (beneath Park Inn Plaza), SS1 2AL
823-827, 827A, 829-837 London Road (odd numbers), SS0 9TE
The council’s goal is that, as progress is made, fewer than a dozen sites will remain on the list.