Shops and flats could be demolished to make way for the future redevelopment of Southend United's home ground, Roots Hall.

An outline planning application put to Southend Council would mean the flattening of Prospects College in Fairfax Drive, and a row of shops and St Mary's Court flats, both in Victoria Avenue.

Once the Blues' new stadium is built at Fossetts Farm, Roots Hall would be redeveloped to include more than 400 homes in blocks up to seven storeys high, a supermarket and eight other shops.

However, club chairman Ron Martin said the scheme did not rely on the use of the extra land, which the football club did not yet own.

Mr Martin said: "This is what we would like to do at Roots Hall, but it is not necessarily what we are going to do.

"As far as St Mary's Court is concerned, there are 36 one-bedroom flats there, which are not to a high standard.

"The club is proposing to provide the same number of one-bedroom flats in the new development, which would be affordable housing of a higher standard and with car parking spaces, which is not the case at the moment."

Kris Sale, owner of Sale Appliances, which has three shops in Victoria Avenue, said he was aware of the proposals.

He added: "I have got a meeting with Mr Martin later this week to talk about the plans.

"I don't want to go, but obviously I will if the price is right. I think it depends on how much he can get the shops for whether this area is included or not.

"If you think about it, there would be something odd about having a brand new housing estate with these shops stuck in front of it."

A tenant at St Mary's Court, who asked not to be named, said he would not be worried if the flats were demolished and replaced by a better building.

He added: "We have had quite a few problems with the building getting old and there is not proper parking for people who have cars."

A number of flats in the building are empty and one is currently boarded up.

The Prospects College building will become empty next year when the college moves to a new site at the Thorpe Bay School, in Southchurch Boulevard.