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Leigh On Sea News: More Flats Planned - TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

Leigh On Sea News: More Flats Planned – TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

More Flats Planned - TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

Leigh On Sea News: More Flats Planned - TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

Leigh On Sea News: More Flats Planned – TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

TWO empty business in Leigh could be transformed into flats under fresh plans submitted to the planning inspectorate.

 Planning proposals have been submitted to Southend Council that could see the former Barclays on the Broadway and the Leigh Road handwear shop Boni-Vee both transformed into flats.

 Previously, plans for transforming the old bank branch into a coffee shop and Airbnb rental were rejected, before ensuing plans to see it transformed into seven flats were also thrown out.

 Mehmed Hassan, who also owns the Sand Bar, Leigh Food Shack, and Baboush is now behind the proposals to bring the building back into use with a new application for three flats.

 Peter Wexham, Leigh Town Coun for Elms Ward, said: “There does not seem to be many options for all the old banks built all over Leigh and Southend because of the style of the buildings, so they either become wine bars or blocks of flats or a mixture of both.”

 Green City Coun for Leigh, Richard Longstaff, was reportedly in favour of the revised plans, as previous application with seven flats was in danger of “cramming too many flats in” an already busy residential and retail area.

 He reportedly said: “The more people that are living in and around active shop fronts, the more it brings to the economy and to the locality and it increases footfall.

 “If people are living above it, they are in that community, it can only be good for the business and the economy.”

 Boni-Vee, now on London Road, operated as a home and handwear store for years, replacing a previous hardware store that inhabited the building before it took over.

 Now, plans submitted by applicant Mr T Harrison-Moore, could see it turned into one flat.

 Coun Wexham added that it should remain a commercial premises, commenting: “The Boni-Vee shop should stay as a shop, if all shops start to be converted into flats the area as a secondary shopping area will disappear into residential.

 “During my lifetime Pall Mall and Glendale Gardens have completely changed from secondary shopping areas into residential roads and I do not want to see that happen to the Broadway area.”

 Coun Longstaff added that there is a real shortage of homes in Southend and that the council were: “on a mission to build residential accommodation.”

Picture: Former Barlays and Boni-Vee  by Google Maps

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