A £15MILLION redevelopment of a Southend pub has been delayed for a year after a planning row.

Redab Properties wants to convert the Esplanade Pub, in Western Esplanade, into 24 luxury apartments, but that proposal has been thwarted for now after a row with planning officials at Southend Council.

Now, the Swedish firmhas said that work won’t start on site until November 2016.

Southend Council planning officials had recommended the proposal was turned down at development control last month, due to its scale, but the developers claimed their building was less than 1ft bigger than a hotel which previously got approval on the site. CG Pettersson, the company’s chief executive, said: “Such a delay clearly has huge financial implications, but we are committed to Southend and wish to minimise any impact building works may cause in health and safety terms.

“We also have no wish to cause major disruption to the livelihoods of seafront traders or to the enjoyment of visitors by launching preparation work in the summer months.”

Redab removed the plans at the 11th-hour before development control last month, and planners at the council have asked the Swedish firm to postpone letting councilors decide on it until August to resolve the outstanding issues.

The developers have even put a model of their plans, which also includes a restaurant underneath the apartments, in the members’ area in Southend Council’s Civic Centre to rally support.

They claim their plans will bring £1million every year to Southend’s economy, and will create up to 29 jobs in the restaurant, below the flats.

They have offered some £1million to stabilise the cliffs behind the pub, instead of any affordable homes in the complex.

Mr Pettersson added: “During the demolition of the old Esplanade building and the need to stabilise the Cliffs, we shall install some 7,700 metres of piling.

The excavation of soil from piling and foundation works will create the need for approximately 750 lorries coming and going from site.

“Therefore, the work can only be carried out between November and March to minimize disturbance and ensure maximum safety.”

Redab says 35 per cent of the building’s energy will come from renewables.