PLANS to invest £2million in a "vibrant" covered market in the country's most deprived ward have been given the green light.

In August it was announced that Jaywick was in line to receive £1.97million from the Government’s Getting Building Fund towards the £2.06million project to create a commercial facility and covered market at the Tendring Council-owned market site at the gateway to Brooklands in Jaywick.

The South East Local Enterprise Partnership has now announced that the scheme will be one of a series of “shovel ready” projects across the South East that will receive a share of £85million thanks to create more than 9,000 jobs across the region.

The 9,500sq ft market, on the former Sunspot arcade site, will include 13 affordable business units, a community garden and hard landscaped area, which can accommodate an outdoor market in addition to the ten pitches inside.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

Concept - how the covered market in Brooklands, Jaywick, could look

A £2.3million bid to create a community-based bike project and cycle network from Jaywick to Clacton to help tackle rising unemployment was also approved.

The community bike scheme aims to loan bicycles to residents, helping them travel to work or college in a healthy, green and cheap way.

Neil Stock, council leader, said the money was a "huge vote of confidence" in Jaywick.

“We have long known the potential that Jaywick holds, and this substantial amount of money shows that others are now recognising that too,” he said.

“Knowing how popular the current market is and what demand our consultants saw for business units, I am sure this will be a big success – not only for Jaywick Sands, but as part of our wider Back to Business agenda to help the whole district recover from Covid-19.”

Tendring Council said the two projects will work closely together, with potential for a bike maintenance outfit to be based at the new business units to support the cycling scheme.

It is hoped the commercial units will also help to provide training opportunities, a rise in skills and employability, pride in the area and a rise in aspiration, especially amongst younger people.

South East Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Christian Brodie said it had worked with councils to get the funding to "where it’s urgently needed".

He added: “We are working in line with central government’s Build Back Better initiative and are confident that these projects will deliver jobs, housing and the best support for businesses.

"Investment in the South East extends to the rest of the country. When we thrive, the UK thrives.”