Plans are set to be given the green light to convert part of a popular restaurant into flats after it was “greatly affected” by the cost-of-living crisis.

Southend Council has been recommended to approve plans to turn Baboush, in The Ridgeway, Chalkwell, into flats at a development control meeting next week.

In August the owner, Mehmet Hassan, submitted plans to convert both the ground floor and first floor into four flats.

However, the plans have been scaled back in recent weeks to include just three flats and for a commercial space to be retained on the ground floor.

The restaurant has remained open throughout the planning process but it remains unclear if it will stay if the development is approved.

James Courtenay, councillor responsible for the Chalkwell ward, said: “The members of development control need to consider all pros and cons.

“It is in a prime residential location. It is not a massive overdevelopment like seen in some areas.

“But, my question and concern is around parking. It would also be disappointing to see a loss of a restaurant serving local people.

“The rest of that parade is commercial so turning part of it into residential is also disappointing.

“It is finely balanced. In an ideal world, it is all commercial underneath and flats on top.

“But, we will have to wait and see what happens.”

In the application, the owner of Baboush, Mr Hassan justified the decision by describing how the restaurant has been “greatly affected by Covid, cost of living, energy costs and the growth in the Turkish/Eastern European” restaurants in the area.

It also highlights how the business, which focuses more on late-night trade, has “become a nuisance to its neighbours”.

According to the planning document, should this application be successful, staff currently employed at the venue will be relocated to other food-led businesses owned by Mr Hassan.

The initial plans have been objected to by the Chalkwell Ward Residents Association.

They stated: “This section of The Ridgeway has always been the commercial centre of the Chalkwell Hall estate, with the premises in question having been a restaurant dating back for many decades.

“There are concerns over parking. It appears from the plans that no provision has been made for on-site parking for the flats.”