FLATS are likely to make up part of the future development of the Old Vienna Restaurant, it has been revealed.

Although an application has yet to be submitted to Southend Council for the landmark site in Leigh, a Southend-based estate agent has confirmed there will “definitely be some residential apartments” - should the planning application be approved.

Mike Gray, from Dedman Gray, said: “A development scheme is currently being worked on and we had considered having a restaurant on the ground floor.

“This may or may not be the case as the final proposals are in the later stage of being completed.

“There will definitely be some residential apartments there, but not too many.

“One thing that has been decided is that this is going to be a high-quality project, it’s not going to be a run-of-the-mill flat scheme.

“We plan to put an application in to the council in the next couple of months and start work early next year.”

It has been unclear what is to become of the Old Vienna Restaurant since it closed down in 2016.

It was originally planned to become an Italian restaurant, which according Mr Gray “may or may not” happen, but earlier this year it was revealed that plans to turn the old site into accommodation were also in the pipeline.

Belfairs Ward councillor, Maureen Butler, is hopeful that a restaurant will be built there.

The Conservative councillor said: “The original idea was to build an Italian restaurant and I would personally much prefer to see that than flats.”

The Old Vienna Restaurant used to be an Austrian themed outlet where the staff were dressed in lederhosens.

The restaurant opened in 1971 and was once a very popular place for people to eat out because of its food and its “oompah” bands.

The owner, Walter Haiser, was hit with a £60,000 fine last year because he failed to comply with food hygiene standards and his restaurant was ranked at a zero for food safety rating. His restaurant was subsequently closed.