A BLOCK of flats planned in the heart of Leigh would be sympathetic to the landmark Grand Hotel, developers told a planning inquiry.

Councillors originally rejected proposals for the 14 flats in the former Midel building in Leigh Broadway because they feared it would detract attention from the Grand, a listed building.

A planning inquiry is now under way at Southend Civic Centre after developers Pike and Partners appealed to the Government.

The architect, Roger Coombs, told the inquiry the developer had taken on board the council's comments and reduced the floor area of the building. The building would be almost a metre taller than the previous version, but he said this would not have a negative impact on the Grand Hotel.

He added: "There is enough important detail in the physical fabric of the Grand that the proposed building will never compete with that.

"There's an external quality about the elevations of the Grand.

"My feeling is that is that the scale of the proposal will act as a proper backdrop to this prominent building."

However, Joanne Kastel, area planning officer for Southend Council, said the development would create a "canyon" effect in the street as parts of the building rise to five storeys high. This, she said, would create a corridor of buildings at the end of the Broadway.

A previous set of plans for the site was rejected by planning inspectors on appeal.

The council said it wanted a building which was more original but less dominant in the street.

A decision will be made by the Government's planning inspectorate following the completion of the inquiry at Southend Civic Centre.