PLANS for a new arts and culture centre, costing almost £3million, in a Maldon park, have been thrown out by councillors after "significant" concerns were raised.

Proposals by Maldon District Council included the new centre in Promenade Park, but councillors told a meeting they are worried about value for money and whether enough of the public want the proposed centre.

Councillors debated the proposals at a full council meeting on Thursday (July 2). A council officer told the meeting an arts and culture would be a "big community asset", but councillors were not convinced.

Tory councillor Mark Durham said: "It's crazy if we are considering putting this authority into debt for the first time for this building, or using reserves." He said "it just doesn't make sense" and he also insisted the council "certainly should not be imposing debt on this authority for residents to bear".

Former leader of the council Richard Siddall told the meeting he has concerns about the cost and the support from the public. He said: "I don't think we can justify that and I think there are better ways to spend £3 million. Even spending £300,000 on a business case is not acceptable."

He insisted the council should use the money "in a much more worthwhile way". He told the meeting that there are about 70,000 people in the district and only about 230 said they want the proposed centre.

Councillor Emma Stephens also raised concerns about the public consultation. She said: "It's a very tiny number of people" who were surveyed and the council doesn't know where they are from. She also said the consultation was "run for an extremely short time".

Councillor John Driver raised concerns about the "clarity" of the plans and told the meeting what was being proposed was "not sufficiently clear". He also called for the council to look at other partners to see if they can also help fund the project.

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The council officer told the meeting the council has undertaken "a lot of public engagement" around the plans and that the consultation received 463 responses. He told the meeting it would be built as a "totally adaptable, flexible multi-use space".

He added: "Support for developing a facility like this runs at 49 per cent of responses. It's better able to deliver the top priorities referenced in the engagement outcomes. Either way the public would like to see something that delivers all the outcomes that they reference. It would be an enhancement to the Promenade Park as an asset. We believe it would enhance the district wide culture and heritage offering."

Councillor unanimously voted to scrap the plans at the meeting.

Councillors also voted to instruct officers to investigate improvements for Maldon Museum in the Park. The meeting was told that the building is not fit for purpose and that without investment the building is "just going to disintegrate".