Plans for the revamp of the Grand Hotel in Leigh have been approved.

Members of Southend Council's development control committee meeting voted unanimously in favour of plans to extend the hotel in the Broadway.

Mick Norcross, who stars in ITV2's The Only Way is Essex, has been given the green light for plans to build the two-storey extension containing two bedrooms and extended kitchen facilities.

The proposals were scaled back from earlier plans for a three-storey extension with five bedrooms.

As the Echo reported on Friday, council officers had recommended the earlier, larger plans be thrown out but after Mick Norcross amended them they were given the nod by officers.

The Grand Hotel has been empty since 2008.

Mick Norcross has released a brochure for the new hotel which can be viewed by going to http://houseductive.com/images/The_Grand_Brochure.pdf .

Full story and interview with Mick Norcross in tomorrow's Echo.