Controversial 14-storey high-rise block of flats gets green light in Southend after appeal

A 14-storey tower block is set to rise in Southend city centre after the Government overturned Southend City council’s refusal, sparking fresh debate over urban development, housing needs, and the loss of a cherished 150-year-old tree.

From diner to development

The site on Tylers Avenue, once home to the popular Churchill’s bar and later Mangetout restaurant, has stood vacant since 2021. A developer named Vikesh Kotecha, with designs by local firm SK Architects, now plans to transform the plot into 58 flats with ground-floor commercial units and a new public square. The building will be just a two-minute walk from Southend Central station and the developers say it promises estuary views.

SK Architects describes the project as “an aspirational development to realise the potential of living by the sea,” adding that it will “lead to an aspirational city centre living, working, and relaxing by the sea”.

Council rejection

In February 2024, Southend City Council’s development control committee rejected the plans by 11 votes to two, citing the building’s “brutalist” design, lack of affordable housing, and absence of parking. Councillors also expressed concern over the proposed removal of a mature London plane tree, which has been affectionately named Chester by local people. The tree has reportedly stood on Chichester Road for over a century.

Government appeal overturns decision

Following the council’s refusal, the developer appealed to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate, which then approved the project in October 2024. The inspector concluded that the development “would not have an unacceptable effect on the character and appearance of the site” and that the loss of the tree “is not a matter which weighs heavily against the scheme” .

However local campaigners from the Save Chester Tree group have vowed to continue their efforts to protect the historic tree.

Balancing development and heritage

The Tylers Avenue project highlights the ongoing tension between urban development and the preservation of local heritage and green spaces. While the need for more housing is undeniable, the loss of a tree and concerns over the building’s design and lack of affordable housing continue to spark debate.

Elsewhere in Southend, a major development could see 10,000 new homes built. Options are currently being explored by Southend and Rochford councils, following a formal expression of interest submitted to the Government’s New Towns Taskforce. Read more.