A LUXURY apartment block, which remains empty despite being built two years ago, is annoying neighbours so much, many are moving away.

Residents are fed up with looking at the empty Nirvana development in The Leas, Westcliff, where apartments were priced for up to £1million.

The 45 apartments in the block remain empty, although a spokeswoman for the owner said they could come on the market in six weeks time.

However, residents stuck behind it in Grosvenor Mews want it pulled down, while others are moving out the area to escape it.

Don Strachan, 69, said he was so fed up he was moving away in the next few days.

He said: "I've lived here four and a half years so it was still being built when I moved in and, although the aspect ratio of my house means I don't look out on to the sea, it did take away the view from my balcony.

"It's just another symptom of the poor planning around here which has ruined the character of the area like it has so many other places, and there is further development going on here, so I'm leaving by the end of the week.

"There are quite a few people moving from here.

"It would be wonderful if they just pulled it down. It should never have been built in the first place and to me it's no different to the 1960s tower blocks that are all being torn down now."

Patricia Mundy, 72, added: "We all hated it and couldn't believe it when it got passed.

"I moved here 13 years ago and one of the first things someone did was post something through my letter box asking me to oppose a three-storey block of flats, which was rejected, but kept coming back with more floors.

"I know you can't buy a view, but I did have a sea view between the buildings that were there before being knocked down, but thatメs completely gone now and Iメve had to get used to not being able to see the sky anymore.

"But the worst thing is it's just a white elephant sitting there."

Heather Millane, a solicitor working on behalf of the owner, said: "The owner is just getting the development ready for maketing.

It has been a difficult market, but it is slowly starting to recover "They are putting the finishing touches ready for the launch in four to six weeks.

"They want to make sure it is properly finished. These are very high specification, high tech flats. Putting in the electrics has taken much longer than our client ever envisaged."