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Search the Public Notice PortalThamesgate House is finally set for a major refurbishment after years of stalled redevelopment.
The long-vacant property one the edge of Southend city centre will see a full external upgrade after conditional planning permission was approved on March 2 by Southend Council.
The applicant, Thamesgate House 3 Ltd, can now carry out extensive works, including new stair and lift cores, improved roof insulation, and the replacement of single-glazed windows with double glazing throughout the building.
All external openings will be replaced with non-combustible materials, including aluminium cladding.
The project marks the first major progress at the site in years, despite repeated attempts since 2017 to convert the building into housing.
Multiple applications for residential schemes, including two in 2021 for 128 self-contained flats, were refused.
In 2024, a screening request was submitted for a new scheme proposing up to 400 homes in a 16-storey mixed-use building.
However, this concept did not move forward to a full application.
Southend Council included a warning with its latest planning decision, stressing that the refurbishment should not be seen as a shortcut to future housing conversions.
Planning officers said the applicant would be “strongly advised to consider an alternative façade treatment” if they intend to pursue residential use.
They noted that a suitable residential design would need to “better reflect a residential character,” including features such as “taller windows, balconies [and] brick” to achieve “a more complete and better quality regeneration of the building.”
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The council added that only a fully redesigned exterior would enable “better quality, more valuable residential units,” signalling that the current commercial-style façade would not meet expectations for future housing proposals.
The scheme was approved with several conditions.
These include starting work within three years, sticking to approved plans, and submitting full details of external materials before façade removal.
There were no objections from neighbouring properties, and consultees including Highways, Environmental Health, Essex Police, and Essex Fire Service raised no concerns.
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