WANT to know what's changing in your town? Here are some planning applications for south Essex over the last week.

1. PLANS have been drawn up to convert empty offices into a block of flats.

An application has been submitted to Basildon Council for the overhaul of the Willowdale Centre, in Wickford High Street, including the creation of a second floor and a first floor extension.

Four one-bedroom flats and three two-bedroom flats would be built.

The existing businesses on the ground floor would not be affected.

The council’s planning committee will decide on the application by the end of November.

2. AN appeal has been lodged after plans to knock down and rebuild Barn Hall Cottage, in Station Road, Wickford, were thrown out.

Basildon Council ruled the development would harm the character of the street, overlook neighbouring properties, and lead to traffic congestion.

A Government planning inspector will decide.

3. A NEW 24-hour gym will open in Billericay. Basildon Council has given the go-ahead for Pure Gym to take over LA Fitness, in Radford Way.

4. A SHOP in Southend High Street has closed and moved elsewhere in the town.

The Money Shop, part of the chain that gives short-term loans, has moved to 138 London Road.

5. EMPTY offices could be turned into seven apartments. Plans have been submitted to build the apartments at the Willowdale Centre, High Street, Wickford. Basildon Council is expected to make a decision in November.

6. PURPLE Sugar Company has submitted proposals to demolish garages in Hadleigh Road, Leigh, and replace them with one house up to three storeys high, and two homes with two floors.

Planners at Southend Council have recommended the plans are approved when they are discussed at by the development control committee next Wednesday.

7. A LICENCE application has been made for a former clothes shop to sell alcohol.

An unnamed person has applied for an alcohol licence for 21 High Street, Southend, which formerly housed the Damart thermal clothing shop.

The licence would allow the sale of alcohol off the premises each day between 8am and 2am. Representations to the council must be made by Friday, October 23.

8. CASTLE Point Council will vote tonight on plans to build special lockers at a Canvey garage where Asda Click and Collect customers can pick up grocery orders.

The store chain has applied to site the lockers at the Esso petrol station in Somnes Avenue.

The council’s planning committee vote on the application on Tuesday – with planning officers recommending refusal.

9. SOUTHEND Hospital’s cardiac careunit is to be improved as part of a £670,000 scheme.

The hospital has applied for planning permission to build an extension above the main hospital entrance to provide more bed space.

This would improve the privacy of patients and allow more modern ward facilities.

The work – likely to start next spring–would reduce the overall numberof cardiac care beds from 30 to 29, butahospital spokesman said the unit would still have enough to cope with demand.

He added: “This has been modelled on projected admissions for this type of specialty, because of to changes and advances to the waywe provide care.”

The unit’s work will continue while the work is done, but in a different part of the hospital.

Jan China, director of estates and facilities, said: “This is part of a programme of refurbishment of wardsacross the site over the past twoyears.

“The cardiac care unit shares a space with Gordon Hopkins ward. The extension will provide better facilities, ensuring patients continue to be treated in a modern, high-quality environment.”

10. PLANS to build a three-storey block of flats on a busy Canvey Road, are being unanimously opposed by councillors.

Canvey Town Council’s planning committee rejected the proposals to demolish an existing house on Long Road, and to build eight flats in its place.

Peter Greig, chairman of Canvey Town Council, said the island can’t cope with further development, and added the proposals aren’t in keeping with the area.

He said: “There’s no other building on Long Road like this one proposed.

“Perhaps the main issue is that the roads are already at breaking point.

“The time taken to get on and off the island is getting longer, and this isn’t just at weekends.

Residents are complaining that this is happening at weekends too.

“Another concern is there are four two-bed flats proposed for the site, parking would be a major concern. There is no way this development should go ahead.”

A final decision on the plans will be decided by Castle Point Council’s planning committee at a later date.