FOUR more floors could be added to a ten-storey tower block of empty offices and flats in Southend High Street as plans have been unveiled.

Plans have been submitted to Southend Council by architects ArchPL to build an additional four floors on Mariner House, opposite Natwest and Superdrug in the High Street.

The extra floors would be used for eight new flats for the tower block, which is currently mixed residential and office space, much disused.

The new plans aim to be “in keeping with the existing form and design” of the current building.

Matt Dent, Labour councillor for culture, tourism and business believes bringing flats would be an effective way to restore life to the building.

Mr Dent said: “Bringing disused and former commercial buildings into use is a good idea, as long as that goes hand in hand with good design and a sustainable approach to materials.

“This application will work its way through the system to ensure that it meets all of our requirements.”

The application also proposes a balcony for each of the flats, implemented as enclosed balconies known as “winter balconies” to help keep in heat.

Mr Dent added: “As we have recently received £470,000 from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, it’s evident that reuse of existing buildings and bringing brown field sites forward for development, is a direction which government want us to take.”

Plans were previously submitted in August 2023 to similarly build two additional floors on the tower block to create four flats, though these were ultimately refused in November 2023.

The previous plans were refused due to “insufficient information” being submitted by the developer to demonstrate it “would not cause harm to airport safety or that the development meets the minimum fire safety requirements.”

However, the developer claims Southend Airport has confirmed there would be no objection to an increase in building height now.