PLANS for a Hollywood-style sign to promote Basildon have come one step closer.

The sign – dubbed Basil-wood – will stand on a hill just off the A127 at Noak Bridge.

It is part of a £400,000 scheme, paid from Government coffers, to improve road directions for motorists driving to the many industrial estates in Basildon off the A127.

Basildon Council has now submitted a planning application for the 7ft high sign, which is expected to be approved early next year.

Under the plans, the Burnt Mills, Pipps Hill and Southfields industrial estates will be renamed enterprise parks.

Each estate would be assigned a colour, with lamp posts approaching the relevant A127 exits painted to match, so drivers could tell which estate was coming up. The council bid for money, which has to be spent specifically on the road scheme, came after businesses told it the different industrial areas were not always clear or easy to find on the road.

Keith Brown, regional organiser for the Essex Federation of Small Businesses, said the improvements were needed and welcomed the signs.

He said: “We support the development of the A127 enterprise corridor and a part of that is improving the signs so people can find the businesses. There needs to be improvements made and the council and the Basildon Renaissance Partnership are moving forward to deliver them.”

The council is expecting to put the signs up early in the new year, as the Government money for the project has to be spent by the end of March.

Basildon cabbie Ralph Morgan said he thought the signs would help motorists. He said: “It will be good to get some signs that are better at directing you to the industrial estates.”