UPBEAT words have followed a visit to the first development which has marked the beginning of a proposed £1.4 billion regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames.

Almost a year since work began on the site of the former Cromwell House car park, a community leader, chair of the company behind the scheme and a local artistic director donned hi-viz jackets and safety helmets to inspect progress of the building of 61 new homes.

Sir Tim Laurence, who is chairman of Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited (PCRL), joined John Rowles, the chairman of Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum and Ali Pretty, founder and artistic director of locally-based community arts company Kinetika for a tour of the site which has been heralded as the first phase of the town centre regeneration project.

The scheme is being delivered by PCRL which is a joint venture between property developer Urban Catalyst and Swan Housing Association in association with Thurrock Council.

The Cromwell House site will house 61 new two, three and four bedroom homes. More than 50 per cent of the homes will be available to purchase under the Government's Shared Ownership and Help to Buy schemes.

The initial 2.36 hectare phase also includes a new children's play area and an orchard walk which will reinstate public access to Hollow Woods creating a gateway to the wider masterplan.

The 61 new houses are being highlighted as the first of a potential 2,850 new homes in Purfleet, together with a town centre redevelopment that will include a new rail station. PCRL's plans also include a state-of-the-art media village and entertainment studios.

Sir Tim said: "I am delighted to see how much progress has been made on phase one of this outstanding project.

"As well as contributing to the Government's target of building 300,000 new homes every year, it will also create about 1,250 temporary annual construction jobs and more than 1,750 additional long-term jobs across a range of sectors.

"The new homes will generate estimated annual expenditure of more than £17m locally and £26m across Essex. It's good to see the local community so closely involved in the project's design and keeping an eye on the delivery."

Ms Pretty added: "I am hugely supportive of PCRL's focus on developing the creative community that already exists in Purfleet-on-Thames. As the director of Kinetika I have experienced first-hand the value that the arts can bring to a community; they unite people from all walks of life. Not to mention the jobs and businesses opportunities that will be created."

Mr Rowles summed up by saying: "We have spent time and effort in getting where we are now, and it is great to see the start of the regeneration and the first homes taking shape. We have a long way to go, however, we as a community have a chance to help make this vision happen, to make Purfleet-on-Thames the place we want it to be."

To find out more about the proposed regeneration of Purfleet, visit ourpurfleet.com.