WORKERS have been spotted on the site of a former Blockbuster in Westcliff ahead of long-awaited plans to turn the building into flats and two new shops.
The building, on London Road, has become a blight on the area since it closed in 2013 and was branded an “eyesore” over its damaged roof and boarded up windows.
Southend Council even issued a “Section 215 Notice” to the owners in 2021 ordering the site to be cleared up before plans were approved last February to transform the site.
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Under the plans, the building would be transformed into nine new flats and two shops on the ground floor.
This week, residents have spotted workers on site, with scaffolding going up around the building.
It has not been confirmed that the works are the beginning of the new flats, however, a fresh planning application was submitted to Southend Council recently indicating work would soon get underway.
Matt Dent, councillor responsible for business, culture, and tourism, welcomed the news.
He said: “It is obviously good to see the work starting on this building.
“It has been both tragically underused and an increasing eyesore for some time.
“The building has a lot of history on the site, and it is good to see that finally being embraced as it is brought back into use.”
The former Blockbuster sits on the corner of London Road and has been previously been described as “the gateway” to Hamlet Court Road.
At the time, the Milton Conservation Area objected to the plans over concerns with design and visual impact of the proposal’s rear elevation as well as concerns about lack of amenity space for future occupants.
However, planning officers believed the proposal was acceptable and due to the “prominent position of the buildings and their gateway function” it is considered to represent a public benefit.
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