HERE’S the first look at the student accommodation block planned to replace the old HMV building in Southend.

The plan for the development consists of eight “pods”. Each will have four bedrooms and shared bathroom, kitchen and dining area. There will also be a communal atrium with a glass roof.

An application to demolish the HMV building, in Queen’s Road, has been lodged with Southend Council.

Currently, the Host Property Group provides private accommodation for 90 students attending the Essex University campus in the Southend area, in addition to the university’s own halls of residence, in London Road.

Spokesman Mark Daniels said the building would be geared up for second and third year students.

He said: “The university’s halls of residence were built to supply primary accommodation for the first year students.

“From our research, it is understood second and third year students, and post graduates, require more independent accommodation, which provides ample shared living space with large communal areas, and a restricted group size of four to five students.”

The developers hope the new building will be ready for students in 2013. It has been designed by Southend-based ACS Design Associates.

Paul Seager principal architect, said: “We have created an internal courtyard which provides natural light to the internal rooms.

This courtyard would have a suspended open-glazed roof which, while maintaining the use of the courtyard area in inclement weather, would also provide a greater degree of natural ventilation through the open sided atrium.

“The design is contemporary and is an attractive modern building, which we feel would appeal to the younger student generation.”

The building will have two shops on the ground floor and two floors of student accommodation above them.

Mr Seager added: “If we get the go-ahead, we hope to have it up and running by the beginning of next year and in time for the new students in 2013.”

The HMV store shut in July 2009, when it was replaced by a branch at the top of the High Street in the former Zavvi shop.

Essex University declined to comment on the proposed new accommodation, or on how many students were being accommodated in the university’s halls of residence in London Road.