Massive £60million plans to change the face of Southend seafront have deen deferred amid farcical scenes.

Southend Council’s planning committee voted to defer Goldfield Developments’ plans to transform Marine Parade by building 282 flats, plus restaurants, bars and shops.

The development, known as Marine Plaza, did not get the votes needed to be built after Independent councillor Dr Marimuthu Velmurugan – who had signalled he was going to back the scheme – was barred from casting a vote because he arrived to the meeting about ten minutes late.

As he was unable to vote, the committee was deadlocked at six votes each and chairman Alan Crystall, a Lib Dem, decided to defer a decision until a review of tourist and shopper parking in the area could be carried out, as the developers had not proposed any parking for visitors.

Dr Vel, who stormed out of the meeting at the civic centre even though other planning applications were coming up before the committee, said: “That was my vote. This is disgusting.”

Councillors were concerned about where people would park on the seafront during busy summer days, as well as the design of the six tower blocks, one of which would be 14-storeys high.

Head of planning Peter Geraghty, whose department recommended the plans for approval, tried to convince councillors to vote for it, but conceded parking was an issue and the project was imperfect.

Despite the 2,700sq m of commercial floorspace creating about 100 jobs, only 10 parking spaces were allocated for workers.

Mr Geraghty said: “It’s about getting a critical mass down there and thinking of Southend in the round. If we wait for a silver bullet, it will probably never happen.”

Independent councillor Ric Morgan said: “I believe we should clarify what development we want down there before we pass anything because this will change the character of the Golden Mile dramatically.”

Labour’s Ann Jones was also concerned about parking. She said: “Trying to get out your house is difficult with all the traffic.”

The developers have offered to stump up £25,000 on signs to divert day-trippers to other Southend car parks.

Echo:

'I was late because I  was at  a medical conference' - Dr Vel

The councillor responsible for the collapse in the vote on Marine Plaza was late because of a medical conference.

Dr Vel, independent councillor for Westborough, said he was at a medical conference on diabetes at the North Shoebury Surgery, in Frobisher Way, prior to the vote and claimed he made it clear in advance he could be up to 30 minutes late.

He said he was angry at being denied a chance to vote for the proposals, which he said were necessary to regenerate the Kursaal area, and said he left because he would not have been able to speak if he stayed.

He said: “I sent apologies saying I would be 30 minutes late because I would be attending a conference on diabetes at Dr Moss’s surgery, which I knew about a long time ago.

“I was very unhappy and I left because there was no point me staying as I was not allowed to speak.

“I’m a neutral councillor and don’t belong to any political party – I support anything which is good for the town and its people – and Kursaal is crying out for help.

“This town is crying out for development.”

Echo:

 

We will be back, vow developers

The disappointed developers have vowed to come back with revised plans for Marine Plaza.

Goldfield Developments bought Marine Plaza in 2010 for £2.2million and has spent the past half a decade working up the plans.

After the decision to defer planning permission, Mark Farrier, a partner at Goldfield, said his firm would take another look at its proposals.

Speaking to the Echo after the meeting, he said: “We will do all the work we need to do to ensure we can deliver this scheme for the town.”

Asked what he thought about Dr Vel being barred from voting – a vote which would have passed his plans – he said: “No comment.”

Traders had previously raised concerns about the loss of seafront parking with the development.

Paul Thompson, chairman of the Southend Seafront Traders Association, said: “Why on earth did the planners recommend that when the average man in the street and the committee can see it is ludicrous?”

Martin Richardson, owner of the nearby Happidrome Arcade, added: “Where are the tourists all going to park?”

Christopher Wickham, from Goldfield’s planning agents Christopher Wickham Associates, spoke during the meeting, and said: “It is not designed for public car parking.

Other than the busiest summer days of the year, there is ample space to park on the seafront and town centre.”

Decade in the dolrums for seafront wasteland

A decade has passed since plans were first unveiled to transform derelict Marine Plaza.

Back in 2005, JBR Leisure put forward a £100million development proposal, including a casino, hotel, luxury apartments, and a conference centre.

The tallest building in that development would have been 16-storeys.

JBR’s plans were granted approval in 2006, but they collapsed in 2009 when the global economic downturn took hold.

Goldfield Developments bought the site for £2.2million and started to buy up the rest of the necessary land on the site, including the Forresters Arms pub and properties in South-church Avenue.

In October, the firm finally unveiled its plans for the site, which was previously the Funland play area.

The firm still has one property in Southchurch Avenue to buy up before any building work starts and will have to revise its plans.