Often branded one of the most ‘deprived’ seaside resorts in the whole of Britain, Jaywick Sands is ready for a significant makeover – all thanks to a hefty amount of funding that has been approved
Repeatedly touted as one of Britain’s ‘most deprived’ areas, this ‘neglected’ seaside resort is slated for major renovation. Jaywick Sands is a small village on the Essex Sunshine Coast, situated southwest of Clacton-on-Sea.
Originally built in the 1930s as a holiday destination for Londoners wanting relief from the Big Smoke, the settlement boasts miles of sandy beaches. In theory, it is a great place to relax and unwind, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. But, over recent years, Jaywick Sands has gained a not-so-pleasant reputation, spearheaded by Channel 4’s 2015 ‘Benefits by the Sea: Jaywick’. The controversial documentary profiled a pregnant woman struggling with heroin addiction, along with a resident with ‘confused.com’ tattooed across her forehead – and didn’t exactly paint the area in the best light.
In 2023, the Daily Express interviewed locals who insisted the spirit of the town was ‘phenomenal’ despite issues with alcohol and drugs. Maria Revell, one of many residents who helped clean the village’s streets, said: “I fight for these people and I fight to make things better here.” She argued a lack of bins on the seafront was resulting in litter, including dog waste, messying the area. “The fly-tipping is phenomenal,” she added. “They will go into someone’s garden where it’s empty and they’ll put a sofa [in there] and then another sofa appears, and I can’t do [anything about] that now, but why should we live around that?”
However, the area, along with Clacton, is slated to receive a staggering £20 million in funding for projects to help regenerate the area. These include £3 million to help improve Clacton Leisure Centre and £2 million for the NHS to contribute towards ‘building a new urgent treatment centre and primary care facility at Clacton Hospital’. It also includes working with Essex County Council on a proposed £2.5 million scheme to expand the Tudor Fields to Jaywick Sands walking and cycling route. The council says this ‘could also serve as an evacuation route and £5 million for acquiring and repurposing a disused town centre building for community and cultural use’.
Want big news with big heart? get the top headlines sent straight to your inbox with our Daily Newsletter
Councillor Ivan Henderson, Deputy Leader of TDC and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism described the hefty funding as a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ to deliver ‘transformative interventions’ across the area. He added: “These projects will significantly improve the quality of life, access to opportunities and health and wellbeing of our residents. The projects chosen by government ministers for investment have been developed through community engagement and include initiatives like improvements to Clacton town centre and the seafront public realm, improvements to open spaces in Jaywick Sands, repurposing disused buildings on the seafront to create an arts community micro venue and refurbishing and repurposing Martello Tower E.”
According to Tendring District Council, the first set of projects include £500,000 for a seafront art and community micro venue, £500,000 to improve ‘tired; shopfronts, £210,000 to provide three new community transport mini-buses and £200,000 to expand the work of the Jaywick Sands Healthy Homes initiative – with the aim of acquiring derelict and long-term vacant sites. A second wave of projects is reportedly set to be brought to Cabinet for approval in early 2025.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk for a chance to be featured
