FAQs: Everything you need to know about the Better Queensway project in Southend

Better Queensway is a long term regeneration scheme focused on the Queensway estate and the main road corridor on the north side of Southend city centre. It combines major highway changes with the demolition and rebuilding of ageing housing to create a safer, better connected gateway between Southend Victoria station, the High Street and the seafront.

The scheme covers the Queensway estate and surrounding roads, including:

• The four tower blocks and low rise housing on the Queensway estate
• Queensway and the main roundabout
• The area around Sutton Road and Southchurch Road
• The land by Southend Victoria station

The project aims to:

• Strengthen links between the station, city centre and seafront
• Improve safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
• Replace outdated housing with new, modern homes
• Remove the “barrier effect” of the current underpass layout
• Create new green spaces and better public areas

Civil engineers working on the project say the Queensway area is currently dominated by a four to eight-lane highway and underbridge, which creates a high level of severance for the surrounding neighbourhood and wider community. The plan is to cut the highway footprint by around 50% and raise the carriageway to sit level with the surrounding landscape, significantly improving the environmental quality of the area.

The former underpass will be repurposed as new surface water storage. This will form part of a wider sustainable drainage system designed to help alleviate flooding in other parts of the city.

No. Drivers approaching from Sutton Road will now need to travel on the left hand side of All Saints Church, then turn right at a new mini-roundabout.

Key changes include:

• New drainage and water storage infrastructure to reduce flooding risk
• Filling in the existing underpass and raising the road to street level
• Creating a new four lane carriageway
• Reducing the size of the roundabout
• Removing the old footbridge and introducing ground level crossings
• New cycle routes from Victoria station to the seafront

The underpass will be removed and replaced with a street level road layout. The intention is to open the area up, improve safety, and create a more accessible, less intimidating environment.

Phase 1, which covers the road and infrastructure works, is expected to take approx. 22 months. Phase 2, which includes the new housing, will then follow in stages over several years.

Many people currently walk in the road to avoid using the underpass. The redesign includes new street level crossings, better lighting, clearer routes and a more open layout, all intended to make walking safer and more appealing.

Dedicated cycle paths will be created linking Southend Victoria station to the seafront. These will replace the patchy, inconsistent cycling routes currently in place.

A new bus gate near Southend Victoria station restricts part of the route to buses and authorised vehicles. It is intended to reduce congestion outside the station and improve public transport reliability. Drivers who previously used this route as a shortcut will need to follow alternative signed routes.

Drivers should expect:

• Lane reductions
• Temporary traffic lights
• Diversions at certain stages
• Occasional closures of connecting roads
• A construction compound in East Street car park

Journeys through the area will likely take longer while the changes are underway.

Around 1,600 new homes are planned across several phases, replacing the current 441 homes in the four tower blocks and surrounding estate.

A formal rehousing and decant process is in place. Tenants and leaseholders will be supported to move and will have options to return to the new development or relocate elsewhere depending on circumstances.

The current underpasses, isolated walkways and hidden areas are being removed. New streets will be more open and better lit, with homes overlooking public spaces to create safer, more active environments.

The plans include:

• New drainage and water storage systems to manage heavy rainfall
• Sustainable drainage features in streets and open spaces
• More planting, new trees and improved green areas

These changes are designed to reduce flooding risk and improve the overall feel of the area.

Some existing car parks are being closed or repurposed to allow construction to begin, including Essex Street car park. On-street parking layouts will change as the scheme progresses.

The full redevelopment of Queensway, including the new housing, commercial units and public spaces, is expected to continue into the early 2030s.

The scheme is led by Southend City Council with support from national housing and infrastructure funding bodies, and construction partners including Taylor Woodrow.

Funding includes government grants, council investment and private sector finance. A significant contribution comes from the national Housing Infrastructure Fund.

The council says residents can have a voice throughout the project. A Queensway Matters forum meets every two months, giving Queensway residents the chance to speak directly with council officers and the Deputy Leader. To register interest in attending, email: BetterQueensway@southend.gov.uk

A community liaison officer from Taylor Woodrow will be on site two days a week to answer questions about the project. For enquiries, email: Cathryn.Wright@taylorwoodrow.com