Castle Point Council has agreed to move forward with a long-awaited plan to revamp the Knightswick Shopping Centre, in Canvey town centre.
The cash will be spent on a new ceiling, lighting, doors, furniture and paving as well as community events.
Previous plans for a £1.5million revamp were unveiled when the council purchased the centre in 2019, but the Covid pandemic delayed the project.
Dave Blackwell, Canvey Independent leader of Castle Point Council, said: “We’ve awarded a construct firm the works, and I’ve told them a timeline for the project. I hope it will be done by early next year. I’ve met with the contractors, and I am hoping work will start after Christmas.
“It’s going to be much brighter and the changes will be good for footfall and bringing in more people for the shops. I am determined to turn the shopping centre into a vibrant place where people want to be and spend time. We’ve got a new management team for it.
“This money was in the maintenance budget and wasn’t previously spent or used. It built up over around ten years, and when I came into power in the administration, the first thing I looked into was our council assets.”
The aim of the work is to lift the town centre and create a “much better” experience for shoppers and visitors.
The Knightswick Centre, like shopping centres across the country, has struggled in recent years to attract retailers.
Mr Blackwell added: “This will be massive for the traders and businesses in the centre. If you visit it and walk through, it looks dull and tired.
“It will be a massive revamp and will make people want to visit it rather than just walking through.
“We will have new events every so often which will be good for the town and businesses there.
“We’ve got a few empty shops too but I think after this businesses will fill them quickly, businesses want to see where they are investing and this will show businesses we are regenerating and revamping the town.”