Sands Restaurant Icon Building Western Esplanade Westcliff-on-sea Essex SS1 1EE Data via plota.co.uk

26/00749/FUL - Full Application Approved
Change of useCommercial & major worksCommercial premises

Proposal

Change of use of first floor radio station and offices (Class E) to Hotel with 7 No. hotel rooms (Class C1) and alter elevations Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
3 Jun 2026
✓
Approved
7 Aug 2026

Approved on 7 Aug 2026 · Delegated Decision · Last checked 8 Aug 2026

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Licence at this address

  • Licence Premises licence Premises licence · in force since 7 Aug 2009 Licensed hours: late-night food until 02:00

Licensed hours are what the licence permits, not opening times.

Site constraints 10

Flood zone 3, rivers and sea
High chance: a 1 in 100 or greater annual chance from rivers, or 1 in 200 from the sea. Any development here needs a flood risk assessment. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Homes in zone 3 must also pass the sequential test. Surface water flooding is a separate map.
Flood map ↗
Tilbury to Southend across the site
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site; the route and its margin are protected.
Ramsar wetland 18 m away: Benfleet and Southend Marshes
Work nearby can need a habitats assessment.
Harm to a protected site is only accepted where there is no alternative and an overriding public interest.
SSSI 18 m away: Benfleet and Southend Marshes SSSI
Natural England may need consulting, depending on what is proposed.
Sites of special scientific interest are the best wildlife and geological sites in the country. Development likely to harm one is rarely permitted.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Registered park or garden 47 m away: Shrubbery Garden
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Registered parks and gardens, battlefields, world heritage sites and protected wrecks are designated heritage assets: harm needs clear and convincing justification.
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Conservation area 47 m away: Clifftown Conservation Area; 3 listed buildings within 150 m; Inside the Southend-on-Sea built-up area; Priority habitat 47 m away: Deciduous woodland.
Not affected
Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Other new applications on this street

10 Mar 2026Approved

Adventure Island Western Esplanade Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 1EE

Erect new entrance canopy to north elevation

26/00310/BC4

Nearby new applications

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21 Aug 2026Pending

142 Alexandra Road Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 1HB

Install rooflights to north and west elevation, replace existing roof tiles to w...

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28 Aug 2026Pending

23A Hartington Road Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2HR

Install dormers to front and rear to form habitable accommodation in the loftspa...

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1 Sept 2026Pending

Clifftown Shore Western Esplanade Southend-on-sea Essex

Change of use of ground floor restaurant from Class E to 9 self-contained flats ...

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12 Aug 2026Pending

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Important details

Council
Southend
Application type
Full Application
Postcode
SS1 1EE
Received
3 Jun 2026
Validated
3 Jun 2026
Ward
Milton
Case officer
Show
Target decision
29 Jul 2026
Decision
Grant Conditional Permission
Decision date
7 Aug 2026
Decision level
Delegated Decision
Applicant
Show
Agent
SKArchitects

How this decision compares

Decided in 65 days from validation, 9 days slower than Southend's median of 56 for changes of use. Approved, as 71% of changes of use here are.

63%decided within 8 weeks
71%approved
6%go to committee

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Southend in the last twelve months, from validation. Southend decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

8 neighbours consulted · Last counted 8 Aug 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Statutory expiry
29 Jul 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

21 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
Adventure Island Western Esplanade Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 1EE
Install PV arrays on roof (prior approval)
25/00095/PA52
2024 Refused
8 Pier Hill Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2EQ
Install internally illuminated fascia sign and retractable awning with non-illuminated le…
24/01511/ADV
2024 Approved
12 Pier Hill Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2EQ
Install 1no. externally illuminated fascia sign to front (part retrospective)
24/01373/ADV
2023 Refused
12 Pier Hill Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2EQ
Retain replacement shopfront to commercial unit (Retrospective)
23/01962/FUL
2023 Refused
12 Pier Hill Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2EQ
Install 1no. externally illuminated projecting box fascia sign to front (retrospective)
23/01559/ADV
2023 Approved
1 Church Road Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2AL
Erect single storey rear extension
23/01373/FUL
2023 Approved
11 Pier Hill Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 2EQ
Change of use from tattoo studio (Sui Generis) to juice and ice cream bar (Use Class E)
23/00793/FUL
2023 Approved
Pier Approach Western Esplanade Southend-on-sea Essex
Install a defibrillator and sign at entrance to Southend Pier Walk (retrospective)
23/00357/LBC
2022 Approved
Adventure Island Western Esplanade Southend-on-sea Essex SS1 1EE
Install a new big wheel and observation tower attractions within the existing Adventure I…
22/02098/BC4
2021 Approved
The Pier Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Relocate existing sprinkler main pipework from within the pier workshop to run externally…
21/00577/LBC
2021 Approved
Southend Pier Museum Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Remove a section of curtain walling and railings to replace the pier train and reinstate…
21/00100/LBC
2020 Approved
Lift And Observation Tower West Of Pier Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Replace existing curved doors with sliding doors, install roller shutters, internal alter…
20/01170/BC3
2018 Approved
Pier Amusement Arcade The Pier Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Demolish single storey Amusement Arcade to form new Pier Entrance and cafe/restaurant (Cl…
18/01125/LBC
2018 Approved
Pier Amusement Arcade The Pier Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Demolish single storey Amusement Arcade to form new Pier Entrance and cafe/restaurant (cl…
18/01126/BC3
2017 Approved
Pier Arches 1, 1A And 1B Pier Approach Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2EH
Change of use from Boat Storage/Redundant Toilets (Sui Generis) to Class A1/A3, change of…
17/01680/BC3
2017 Approved
3 Church Road Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2AL
Change of use from Financial and Professional Services Use (Class A2) to Restaurant/Cafe…
17/00805/FUL
2017 Approved
Pier Amusement Arcade The Pier Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex
Change of use of Amusement Arcade to Pier Entrance increase height and install roof light…
17/00406/BC3
2017 Approved
21 Pier Approach Western Esplanade Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2EH
Change of use from Shop (Class A1) to Cafe/Art Venue (Class A3/D1) and install new shopfr…
17/00114/BC3
2016 Approved
Palace Hotel Church Road Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2AL
Install non-illuminated hanging sign to front and vinyls to front and side elevations
16/01227/ADV
2016 Approved
Palace Hotel Church Road Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2AL
Change of use to financial and Professional Services (Class A2), Install air conditioning…
16/01226/FUL
2016 Refused
1A Marine Parade Southend-On-Sea Essex SS1 2EJ
Form second floor and part third floor to form three self contained flats (Outline)
16/00433/OUT
Southend
Planning Authority Score
3.8/10
Below average
#209 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Southend ranks #155 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are slightly less likely to be approved here (88%) than the national average (90%).

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Southend decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
80%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #261 of 296
88%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #224 of 296
64%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #155 of 296
43%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #173 of 296
62%
Minor dwellings approved
109 decided (1-9 homes)
78%
Major dwellings approved
9 decided (10+ homes)
56%
Change of use approved
82 decided
904
Total decisions
177 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings