THE planned facelift of Canvey High Street looks set to continue after plans to rebuild two more shops were submitted to the council.

Nader Siabi, a Hornchurch-based pharmacist, wants to knockdown and rebuild Britannia Pharmacy along with an empty shop-turned-house next door, which was once home to grocer store “The Granary”.

His project would see the shops rebuilt with two flats built above each one. One would reopen as a pharmacy, the other would be let out.

The plans follow hot-on-the-heels of last month’s permission given to Canvey Supply to flatten and rebuild its shop along with neighbouring Indian restaurant Everest Tandoori. This new development would include 24 town centre flats..

Islanders believe work to restore the High Street could add to major plans, revealed in yesterday’s Echo, for a high end supermarket to come to a proposed retail park in Roscommon Way.

Business owners in the area have welcomed some of the High Street plans, provided the ambition for more flats doesn’t get “out of hand.”

Sandra Durrant, 50, owner of hardware firm GMD, said: “Ifit’s a case of two shops, being replaced by two shops that will both be used, then I don’t see a problem with this at all.

“The issue is when the number of flats that come with it creeps up and up, and then all of a sudden we have all these homes in the High Street.

“When it starts to become less about the shops and more about flats then that’s when there is a problem.

“Time and again it has been proved we can’t take anymore homes.

“There is no ambulance station on the island, no full-time fire crews, no police station open to the public, and only one road on and off.”

Barry Campagna, Canvey Independent councillor for South ward, wants to the High Street improved.

He said: “I think tidying up the High Street would be a good thing, particularly if we can get some revamped shops.

“The pharmacy is very well used, and when you think of some of the other businesses there, like GMDs and the post office, it’s an important little area for shops.

“There’s a large catchment for a business wanting to go there, and it would be nice to see another business created.”

It is the third time Mr Siabi’s plans have appeared in three years. Previous efforts were dismissed by the authority in March 2014 and May 2015.