PLANS have been thrown out to build a three-storey block of flats in a prime spot on Southend seafront over fears they would create “substandard accommodation”.

Earlier this year plans were submitted to Southend Council to demolish a vacant business on Eastern Esplanade, opposite Sealife Adventure, and transform it into six new flats.

The designs, drawn up by A9 Architecture, included modern homes with balconies and a shop on the ground floor.

However plans for the site, next to Southend Ink and the Seafood Shack, have now been rejected by Southend Council and the proposals branded “unacceptable”.

Planning officers at Southend Council found the homes would not provide suitable living conditions and would have poor access.

Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal ward, said: “I think it is the right call.

“This is a sizeable development on the seafront. And while we should always consider these things, the specifics of the development didn’t meet the standard we expect. So, it is rightly refused.”

According to the proposed plans, all six flats would have been two-bedroom homes with six off-street parking spaces.

The proposal retained a shop to the ground floor, which is currently vacant, and is believed to have been vacant for a number of years.

Despite being refused, the report states comments from a public consultation were “generally supportive of the design”.

However, officers added: “Overall, the proposed design would result in a bulky and incongruous development that would lack cohesion.

“It is therefore considered that the proposal would fail to provide a development sympathetic to the context of the area and would appear as a feature materially out of keeping with the character and appearance of the street scene.”

The applicant believed the proposal would “introduce a fresh, updated look to the area, potentially elevating the overall aesthetic appeal of the street scene”.