PLANS to demolish and rebuild the car park at Castlepoint are still on track, the management firm says.

The Castlepoint Partnership was granted planning permission in November 2014 to knock down the existing structure, 11 years after structural problems were first reported.

Planning permissions lapse after three years without work, but Castlepoint said its approval remains in place as it has been carrying out “enabling works” on the site.

A spokesman said: “We’re making positive progress on our plans to rebuild the car park and walkways.

“Though we’re not quite ready to start the next phase of major works, we’ve completed enabling works onsite and are finalising a programme that accommodates the requirements of tenants.

“We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to confirm a start date for the next phase of works shortly.”

The multi-million pound project was originally scheduled to begin in 2015, but was delayed to the following year.

In February 2016 the firm said it expected work to begin that year.

A spokesman said:“This will not affect access to either the shops or the car park, or result in any reduction in parking spaces.

“We expect the work to be completed in approximately 10 weeks.”

The plan at the time was for the demolition and rebuild to be carried out in five phases, starting at Sainsbury’s and working along the two malls.

The anchor stores, Sainsbury’s, Asda, M&S and B&Q, would not need to close but smaller shop units would each close for five days on a rolling basis as the walkways outside their entrances were rebuilt.

The new car park was to be brighter and easier to navigate, but with a slightly reduced number of spaces – from 2,818 to 2,500.

Problems with the concrete structure first came to light when the shopping centre was opened in 2003, with reports of falling masonry.

This led to spaces being cordoned off and in December 2005 the car park had to be closed completely because of cracks appearing in the concrete floor and columns. It fully re-opened a month later with a temporary fix in place and more than a decade has been spent negotiating a permanent solution.

Councillor David Smith, cabinet member for planning, said work had only begun on the site in November, and his department was engaged in negotiations with Castlepoint over relaxing conditions on the planning permission.

Cllr David Kelsey, chairman of the planning board, said: "I would hope they will get on with it now instead of dragging it out. I know there have been some difficulties but it is about time the car park was sorted out."