GRAND plans have been submitted to transform one of Southend’s most prominent buildings into more than 500 flats.

Savills, on behalf of the applicant Comer Homes Group, have sent long-awaited plans to Southend Council to convert Alexander House into 557 self-contained flats.

Alexander House is an old HMRC office block at the junction of Victoria Avenue, Queensway, and Baxter Avenue.

These plans would see the existing building retained, with the existing car parking facility to the rear being demolished and cleared for re-development.

There would then be 299 parking spaces proposed across the basement and ground floor levels in the northern half of the site.

Daniel Nelson, Conservative councillor responsible for economic growth and investment, said: “It is welcome news, as we would rather have beautiful residential properties over empty office blocks.

“So, I am very much welcoming of this.

“It will be a wonderful place to live.

“I hope that the planning committee and co will be able to look at favour.

“The homes are needed, especially for the younger generation and these could be very much the stepping stone on to housing market.”

Alexander House was built back in the 1970s and comprises a 16-storey office building. It was occupied by HMRC with about 1,600 employees working within the building.

Out of the 557 flats, 334 will be one-bedroom, 185 will be two-bedroom, and 38 will be three-bedroom.

All homes will have direct access to private amenity space in the form of balconies or terraces.

The proposed development will also provide 875 square metres of commercial floorspace in the form of up to four Class E units – for both the benefits of residents of the development as well as the community.

The plans added: “It is envisaged that the Class E units could be used for a variety of uses, including food and non-food retail, speciality and department stores, restaurants, cafes, office space or gym facilities.”