A MULTI-MILLION pound plan to transform the crumbling Grand Hotel is on a knife edge as planners advise councillors to reject the proposals.

Former Only Way is Essex star Mick Norcross wants to convert the landmark Leigh building into 19 flats with a basement wine bar and health club, ground floor restaurants and a penthouse apartment topping a rear extension to the building.

After twice having his plans rejected by planning officers, it has finally been turned over to development control councillors with a recommendation for refusal.

A report to councillors says the size and appearance of the penthouse flat built on to the rear extension with its mansard-style roof was “not considered to be acceptable in terms of their visual impact”.

The report adds: “This attractive late Victorian Baroque building is locally listed and whilst it was once vibrant, it has been left unoccupied and boarded up for a number of years. Therefore, the council wishes to see the building brought back to use; however, it has a statutory duty to preserve or enhance its character and the character of the Conservation Area.”

Officers say they had a number of pre-application meetings with Mr Norcross in which he declined to removed the penthouse from the plans following their objections.

Mr Norcross, owner of the successful Sugar Hut in Brentwood, said: “This isn’t viable without the penthouse. We need to raise a certain amount of money for it to work. It will bring in up to £700,000 which will pay for the rest of the work. If it stays as it is, its a non-starter. We’ve reduced the mass and scale of the design and we have reduced the size of the penthouse so that it was not so visible from the road. We’ve reduced it in height and appearance to appease them but they still reject the plan.”

Mr Norcross, who first explored the possibility of turning the much-loved building into a hotel before rejecting it as unviable, has said there will be no other option but to let the building crumble. Leigh Town council has raised no objections to the scheme. Councillors will consider the application on Wednesday, July 5.