ARCHITECTS are bidding to officially use land at the planned Marine Plaza site as a car park after grandiose redevelopment plans stall.

Development work should have started on the £60million proposal last year, but SK Architects have instead lodged a plan with Southend Council for land adjacent to the Dizzyland site, which has been operating as an illegal 240-space car park for years, to remain.

In 2015 Goldfield Developments said it expected to start work on the huge entertainment and homes complex in September last year. Work was expected to be completed by 2018. But there is currently no sign of a start date.

Steve Kearney of SK Architects claimed the application was a formality lodged to assist Southend Council. He said: “In 2000 the council approved a temporary car park which has now been used for 17 years now. It’s never been authorised.

“The council needs to know the number of available car parking spaces to factor them into the Southend Central Area Action Plan so we want to make it lawful so they can do that.”

Mr Kearney, who was unable to given any news about when the development would start, added: “It’s not going to hinder any further development.

“The council just needs to factor this space into its calculations.”

However, the council has disputed the car park is part of its plans.

A spokesman said: “The site already has planning permission for a development of commercial units and flats. There is no planning permission for its use as a car park.

“Should it be proven that the site can be used under planning law as a car park, it would not affect the ability for the other planning permission to be implemented.

“An applicant has submitted an application claiming that there is lawful use of the site as a car park.” This application is currently being assessed and therefore the council cannot comment on specific matters relating to the application until the assessment is concluded.

The spokesman added: “The site has not been recognised as a permanent car park within the Southend Central Area Action Plan or supporting studies, as it has a history as a development site and no lawful use for parking.”

Goldfield Developments Ltd and Inner London Group who are behind the development were available for comment.

Project behind schedule

THE £60million Marine Plaza development got the go ahead in May 2015.

Built on the site of the car park, it will boast 282 flats in six tower blocks, plus restaurants, bars, and shops.

The plans include 282 parking spaces for residents, 16 for the disabled, and 20 for visitors.

The potential loss of up to 240 public parking spaces  proved controversial, however with seafront traders, but he developers argued the sheer scale and scope of the development would be a huge boost to the town’s economy.

Paul Thompson from Southend Seafront Traders’ Association and owner of the seafront Pebbles cafe said: “I have been in business on the seafront for over 15 years and there has always been a car park on that site. If it was an illegal car park why didn’t they shut it down?

“That amount of car park space is vital to the town’s economy and tourism and if it goes we’re going to lose a massive amount of business.

The Seaway development, a £50million leisure complex off Lucy Road in Southend is also behind schedule after missing its expected December deadline for submitting an application.