A FORMER eyesore site in Dovercourt which has been undergoing a £1.9million revamp will be reopened this autumn.

Tendring Council is using the site of the former Starlings garage and Queens Head Hotel, which burned down a number of years ago, to create a new public space.

The plans include a 51-space car park, public toilets, and landscaping.

The design will allow the site to be used as an event space, providing capacity in the town centre for one-off events such as a Christmas market or travelling fair.

The council purchased the former Starlings site at the end of 2020 after complex negotiations and later cleared the space.

Gipping Construction is carrying out the works and although they were scheduled for completion at the end of 2022, but earlier this year the council said that due to unforeseen issues with ground contamination, the finish date was pushed back to spring 2023.

With the site yet to reopen, fears were raised that money for the project had run out.

It prompted Harwich resident, and former councillor, Geoff Smith to contact the council's chief executive about the issue.

He said: "I was assured work had not stopped on the site.

“Hopefully this will stop the rumours that the money has run out, that Clacton, Frinton and Walton have dipped into the money, etc.”

Ivan Henderson, the Tendring Council's cabinet member for economic growth, regeneration and tourism said finishing touches are now being carried out.

He added: “We are now working on planning the opening of this site in the autumn, and our contractors are on site doing the final pieces of work, such as landscaping, street furniture and last works to the entrance and drainage in preparation for this.

“I am pleased we are close to completing this redevelopment project, regenerating a derelict site into a car park and event space for the community to use and benefit from.”

Garry Calver, who was ward councillor for the area until 2019, said: “This was a problem site for years. It became extremely dangerous, was a blight on the town centre landscape and was the subject of a serious fire.

“It is wonderful that this problem site is now becoming a major asset for Dovercourt town centre and beyond.”