A controversial application to build a block of flats in Leigh has been turned down by Southend Council.

An application to build flats in place of the Leigh car wash on Broadway was submitted to the council by Mr L Panormo of Plaistow Broadway Filling Stations.

But a recommendation to refuse the application was made by the case officer, Janine Rowley, on the grounds that no affordable homes were being built and no appropriate financial contribution to the provision of education facilities were made.

Following a council planning meeting on Wednesday October 4, the application was rejected.

Leigh Town councillor, Caroline Parker, said she is "over the moon" with the decision.

She said: “I think this is brilliant news and I am over the moon about it.

“I think we are getting far too many blocks of flats in Leigh and the infrastructure can’t cope.

“The schools are overcrowded, the hospitals are struggling and the roads are choc-a-bloc. Leigh is a victim of its own success.

“The problem is, if you have too many high rise buildings then you get a ‘corridor effect’ where the light will be blocked out.

"I have always said that buildings in Leigh should be no more than three stories high.

“Southend Council can turn down any block of flats as far as I am concerned.”

The application was to build a block of 20 which would have been between three and five storeys high.

38 residents were notified and nine letters of objection were submitted.

Reasons for refusal were written in the report.

It stated: "The submission does not include a formal undertaking to secure an appropriate contribution to affordable housing provision to meet the demand for such housing in the area despite it having been found financially viable for the development proposed to make such a contribution.

"The submission does not include a formal undertaking to secure an appropriate financial contribution to the provision of education facilities in the borough, to mitigate the demand for such facilities generated by the development proposed."