HOMES could yet be built on the site of a long-derelict former laundry after a developer revealed new plans for 65 flats.

Developer Land Charter Southend, has applied to build five blocks of flats on the site of the former Albany Laundry off Eastwood Boulevard, Westcliff, and another block on the site of Albany Court, on the other side of Nelson Road.

Southend Council threw out the firm’s plans for 48 flats – a third of which would be affordable homes – on the northern half of the site last July, as the development had too few parking spaces.

Councillors refused plans for 23 flats and three houses on the southern half of the site the following month over concerns about the size and design of the buildings.

The Guinness Partnership housing association was waiting in the wings to build the southern scheme, all of which would have been social housing, with Government cash – but work would have had to finish by March 2015.

Land Charter Southend, a limited company set up by laundry owner Mike Burton and Gibraltar-registered STM Fidecs Trust Company, has reduced the number of flats and the heights of some blocks and increased the number of parking spaces in a bid to meet the objections.

But the flats would be more densely packed, as the previous applications included a larger area to the south.

The new scheme is also unlikely to include as much social housing.

Lib Dem leader Graham Longley spoke against the original plans last July, but is backing the revised scheme after Henrik Darlington, managing director of Land Charter Southend, showed him and fellow Blenheim Park councillor Duncan Russell around the site.

He said: “We are very pleased he involved us. We are happy to see the reductions and changes and we wish him well in the development.

“Subject to any other changes, it now looks acceptable.”

Albany Laundry, a large commercial laundry, closed in 2005 and the building was demolished in 2008.

Albany Court, which is flats above garages, is derelict and would be demolished to make way for the new flats.

No-one from Land Charter Southend was available for comment.