Work has started on improving a seafront car park which serves one of Clacton's busiest and most popular beaches.

The Martello Tower site in Hastings Avenue is to get a much-needed facelift with an upgraded entrance, kerbed boundaries and landscaping.

The first phase of the scheme by Tendring District Council - which will cost £30,00 - began on Monday (Jan 7) and is expected to take three weeks to complete.

It will tackle the entrance and boundaries and the new landscaped beds will follow in the next six to eight weeks.

During the next financial year - April 2008 and April 2009 - further work to improve the surface of the car park will be carried out by contractors.

It will be a self-draining surface in keeping with the area.

Harry Shearing, Portfolio Holder for Technical Services at the Council, said the site was an important one which needed attention.

"This car park originally operated under a temporary planning consent which ran out in January 2007," he said. "It has only had a rough and unattractive surface made from road planings.

"Now that the land has permanent permission as a public car park - and because it is next to one of the town's busiest beaches - a significant scheme has been drawn up to upgrade the site."

Cllr Shearing said that materials and landscaping had been carefully chosen for both sides of the Martello Tower, which is a scheduled ancient monument, to make sure that its setting was preserved.

"It is hoped that the improved facilities will be welcomed by both residents and visitors to the area," he added. "It will be a very attractive site in what is a prominent position of Clacton seafront."

Once complete the car park will have 63 laid out spaces - five of which will be for disabled drivers - and the site will include seven trees and 1,400 plants and shrubs.

Find out more information about all the Council's car parks here