A former nightclub is set to be turned into a bar and restaurant with flats above after a sale of the premises was finalised.

The new owner, a London-based property developer, intends to redevelop Element nightclub, in Alexandra Street, Southend, into five new apartments, a basement restaurant and a ground-floor bar and café.

The new owner completed the purchase on Tuesday.

He will comply with the planning permission, which was granted by Southend Council last year, after an application was submitted by local businessman Robin Levy.

The plans will see the basement of the property become a café, restaurant and bar area, despite it suffering damage in a fire in October 2015. The upper floors will be turned into five flats with amenity space created on the roof.

Property consultants Dedman Gray will be bringing the commercial spaces to the market for rent this year.

Mike Gray, from Dedman Gray, said: “With the change in the demand for late bars instead of traditional nightclubs it’s a shame to see another one of Southend popular venues no long operating.

“However, I’m delighted to see that the new party is willing to invest money in the premises and is planning to carry out a full refurbishment of the original nightclub and all of the upper parts.

“The building has planning consent to continue with a restaurant and a separate bar/nightclub on the lower floor and residents above.

“It is purchased with the intention to develop forward on this basis.”

The nightclub opened in 2009 on the site of the former Bakers Bar but closed in 2015.

A planning application was submitted later that year but was recommended for refusal.

Another application for the property was submitted in March 2016 to change the use of the ground floor to a retail space with the upper floors to become flats.

Permission was refused again due to concerns that noise from the commercial space would be disturbing to the flat occupiers.

An application submitted in September 2016 was approved after plans had changed to include bin storage and noise reduction.

The operating hours for the ground floor café are expected to be between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 5pm on Sundays.

In their recommendation to councillors, planning officers said: “No part of the development shall be occupied until bicycle parking spaces have been approved externally to the restaurant, public house, and residential flats in accordance with plans and details which have been previously submitted to and agreed by the Local Planning Authority.”

Fourteen conditions listed on the application requires the installation of glazing, acoustic and ventilation throughout the property due to concerns outlined in the Noise Impact Assessment.