THIS is the way the flats likely to go on the site of Southend seafront’s Esplanade pub could look.

Developer Redab Properties has released these electronic images of the 24 flats it wants to build as part of a £15million project.

The Swedish-owned company, bought the Western Esplanade pub in September and and says it will apply to Southend Council for planning permission next month.

The environmentally-friendly building would feature an underground car park and a 7,000 sq ft restaurant and would use solar power and ground source heating to reduce energy costs.

The company says it has designed the building to blend sympathetically with the town’s conservation area and help protect the seafront cliffs from further slippage.

The architects have included solar panels, rainwater recycling, ground water heating and cooling and atriums to make the most of natural daylight.

Managing director CG Pettersson said: “Until now, all of our redevelopment schemes have been in Central London, but we have been impressed by what we have seen in Southend and the potential the town offers as a growing business hub and a residential area.

“Fast travel links with London, a growing airport together with quality schools and services helped us decide this was the place we wanted to invest.

“We look forward to presenting our detailed plans.”

As well as the ground-floor restaurant the plan includes will three luxury penthouse suites, 21-two bedroom flats and 25 underground car parking spaces. As part of the construction work, the site will be piled to help stabilise the cliffs area, which has been subject to slips in recent years.

 

Site has a history of proposals which never materialised

THE Esplanade pub site has been the subject of other proposals over the years.

In 2010, another developer, Renewal Southend, was given planning permission to build a 58-bedroom hotel.

The plans included a groundfloor restaurant, lounge and reception area, as well as an underground car park.

The building was also designed to shore up the seafront cliffs, in the same way as Southend Council’s £35million plans for a new museum, further along Western Esplanade.

After months of speculation, the project collapsed.

Land Registry records show Renewal paid £760,000 for the site in March 2008, but by October 2011, the firm said the plans were on hold because of the tough financial climate.

The site was put back on the market for £1.1million in April 2012 and bought by Redab last year.

Surveyors say the pub, which was built around 1900, is crumbling, with an 8mm-widecrack extending horizontally across the full width of the first floor.

Under Redab’s plans present manager Janet Hills will be allowed to run the pub until next autumn, after which it will be demolished.