SCALED back plans have been submitted to transform empty offices into new flats after the developer claimed initial proposals were “not cost effective”.

Basildon Council gave the green light in October 2023 for the Eastgate Business Centre, on Southernhay, to be transformed into 86 flats and six additional storeys built on top of the building - taking it up to 11 storeys tall.

However, new plans have now been submitted to the council scaling the number of homes down to 35 flats and removing the proposals for additional floors.

Documents included within the fresh plans submitted revealed that the scheme from a “previous owner” had “proved not to be cost effective”.

The new owner, listed as Ben Hubbard and Paul Atkinson JFCR, aims to begin work “as soon as” planning permission is granted.

Basildon Council councillor Phil Turner added: “I welcome these plans and I think residents will too. Residents were vehemently against Labour’s plans to create high density development in the town and I supported residents concerns.

“I welcome the decision to go for a more sympathetic development as I think residents will too.”

Due to its town centre location, it is proposed that the development will be car free.

Under the new plans, the development would provide a total of 35 new flats, comprising three one-bedroom flats, 30 two-bedroom flats, and two two-bedroom flats (four person).

The building was listed on the market earlier this month for a whopping £1.9 million after no work had taken place.

The application states: “The development site has changed ownership since the previous applications, and it is the intention of the new owners to move forward immediately with the development once approval has been received.

“Alongside this application, a secondary application is being submitted to change the external cladding of the development which will compliment the changes to the internal layout being proposed within this change of use scheme.

“The previous owner also explored the possibility of additional new floors being added to the building – those schemes proved not to be cost effective and so were not built out.”