PLANS have been approved for several buildings, restaurants and new attractions in and around Southend this year.

We have listed eight of the biggest planning applications and developments approved in the city.

Cliffs Pavilion upgrade approved

Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion theatre had plans for an £8 million upgrade approved in October.

The improvement will see an expansion of its restaurant, a new entrance built with works on the lobby and outdoor plaza.

Improvements will also be made to the bar, toilets and lifts and the theatre will remain open during works.

Basement Nightclub Building Transformed

The former Basement Nightclub building in Alexandra Street operated across three floors until it closed in 2017.

Work has already begun converting the ground floor of the building into a restaurant and windows and doors have already been replaced, however the business is yet to open.

Plans will see the basement converted into a bar, the ground floor into a restaurant at this stage the plans have not given any details around what the restaurant will be.

Adventure Island New Attraction

Adventure Island was given the green light to build a huge new viewing platform - set to tower above the already-installed City Wheel.

Southend Council’s development control committee gave the new attraction approval in March as well as granting retrospective planning permission for the 36-metre tall City Wheel.

The 40-metre tall viewing platform is set to be installed next year, bosses at the seafront attraction revealed.

Southend High Street Market extension

Southend High Street’s popular market previously ran every Thursday and two Saturdays each month.

However, Southend Council approved plans to allow a market to run every Thursday and Saturday, as well as bank holidays.

Stalls selling everything from food to vintage trinkets will be set out from the top of the High Street down to Clifftown Road.

Nazareth House replaced by flats

Plans were agreed for the former Southend Nazareth House convent in London Road to be demolished and replaced by retirement apartments.

The agreement from Southend Council came in March despite a petition that garnered 337 signatures at the time of approval.

The plans by developers McCarthy Stone contain two four-storey buildings.

Kenbro Carpet Store replaced by flats

Plans to build flats of the site of family-run Southend carpet firm Kenbro were given the go-ahead in April.

Southend Council’s development control committee approved plans for eight one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom flats on the site in Sutton Road, Southend.

A part three and part four-storey building is being built with three ground floor commercial units.

New care home replacing Memory House in Leigh

Plans for a 50-bed care home complete with a cinema, pamper rooms and estuary views were approved in September despite concerns construction could affect unstable Leigh cliffs.

A revised plan for the care home in Marine Parade will be on the site of the former Memory House care home.

The council received almost 50 objections from residents, which included concerns for structural damage to neighbouring properties, ground subsidence and land instability.

New Leigh restaurant to be built

A glass-fronted restaurant will be built on land between Leigh Road and the Broadway as plans were approved in June.

The proposal sought permission for a two-storey building with a basement and to demolish a storeroom to the back of the site.

It will have an “irregular shaped footprint and a curved frontage” as well as a glass front.