Southend Council set to take enforcement action over shop

Southend Council is preparing to initiate enforcement action against the owner of a former shop in West Road, Shoebury as it continues its clampdown on work carried out without planning permission.

It comes after the council took enforcement action against a neighbouring property in the same road which was also converted from a shop to a home without planning permission.

Initially, the home was part of a row of four shops and others along the stretch are also under investigation from Southend Council.

Councillors on the development control committee have been recommended to approve enforcement action at a meeting next week.

Tony Cox, Reform councillor for the West Shoebury ward, said: “I would always encourage people to keep on the right side of law and get planning permission.

“But what amazes me is, unless a property property isn’t sound or safe, it is a case of restoring it to a vacant shop front.

“Anyone would think we don’t have a housing crisis. Making a home back into an empty shop in a residential area? Sometimes we just need to use common sense.”

The current ground floor flat was once a part of a parade of four shops, and was used as a dog grooming business.

However, the road had a number of boarded-up shops as trade has declined and the owner of one was given planning permission for a change to residential use.

In November 2022, an enforcement case was raised alleging the ground floor commercial unit had been converted to a studio flat without planning permission. This was confirmed following a site visit.

The council’s enforcement officer notified the owners regarding the unauthorised change in November 2022.

Since then, Southend Council say several unsuccessful applications have been submitted and the breach remains.

The planning inspectorate dismissed an appeal against this council’s refusal of the 2022 prior approval application for conversion to a flat.