PLANS to demolish two buidlings in Westcliff and build a seven-storey development with 49 flats in their place look set to get the go-ahead.

The development would involve knocking down Harwand House, the art deco-style building on the corner of London Road and North Road, as well as the Sixties-built Parlane Purkis accountancy office next door.

The new building would be made up of one, two and three-bedroom flats, with balconies, and 450sqm of shop space on the ground floor.

It would reach seven storeys at its maximum height, on the corner of London Road and North Road, before dropping down to five and four storeys. There will be two levels of 32 parking spaces on the ground floor and underground.

Southend Council’s development control committee will decide on the plans at a meeting next Wednesday, but planning officers are recommending they be approved.

A report by planning officer Dean Hermitage said the building could be a “local landmark”.

He states: “It is considered the site can accommodate a building of this scale.

“The proposed scale here will make a bold architectural statement and signal the gateway to Southend town centre.

“Parking provision is low, but the site is considered to be in a sustainable location, and a similar level of parking has been accepted in this area previously.”

Neither Harwand House nor the Parlane Purkis building are considered to be “of particular architectural interest”.

The plans were drawn up by developer Sams, which owns both buildings, and is proposing to build ten affordable homes as part of the scheme.

Speaking on their behalf, agent Paul Seager, of ACS Design Associates, said: “We’ve worked very closely with the local authority on this development.

“The previous application was refused and dismissed at appeal, but only for design reasons.

“Now we’ve spoken with the local authority, we hope we have overcome this.”

Previous plans, in 2007, from Sams for a four-storey development of 22 flats at the site, not including the Parlane Purkis office, were rejected by the council and an inspector on appeal because of the design.

If permission is granted, Sams is proposing to pay £78,000 towards local schools and £9,000 towards transport costs.