The future of Southend city centre’s unfinished former Prudential building remains uncertain after a government planning inspector rejected a developer’s bid for more time to convert the property into flats.
The prominent building at 9 Elmer Approach, close to the High Street and The Forum, has been left with visibly incomplete exterior works following years of redevelopment proposals. The wider property, listed by Southend City Council as 7–11 Elmer Approach, was also named on the council’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of neglected sites in December 2025.
From Southend nightclub landmark to unfinished development
Long before the current uncertainty, many residents knew the building for its ground-floor nightlife venue. Over the years it traded under names including Penny Farthing, Scamps, Storm and Mansion.
The surrounding area has changed significantly, particularly with the arrival of The Forum and nearby university facilities. But the former Prudential building has remained a conspicuous unfinished property close to these city-centre landmarks.
Scaffolding previously surrounded the building during redevelopment work. Its eventual removal left parts of the exterior appearing incomplete, prompting questions locally about when the site will be brought back into use.
Why was the conversion to 119 flats refused more time?
Proposals for the site have changed over the years, including hotel plans dating back to 2009 and a further hotel scheme in 2018.
A separate residential scheme received prior approval on 4 December 2018 to change the use of offices into 119 self-contained flats. Under the approval, the conversion had to be completed within three years, by December 2021.
Developer Crown Lodge Accommodation Ltd subsequently sought to vary that completion condition. Southend City Council refused the application, reference 24/00228/AMDT, and the company appealed.
Planning inspector Jane Smith dismissed the appeal in a decision dated 6 May 2025, following site visits in March and April of that year.
The inspector considered the proposal against the applicable planning requirements, including matters relating to residential accommodation and design. The appeal decision also considered the building’s condition and its impact on the surrounding area, referring to its “detrimental visual appearance”.
The dismissal meant the requested change to the original completion deadline was not granted. It did not mean that every possible future redevelopment of the site was ruled out.
The inspector’s decision also records a separate appeal concerning a proposal for 102 self-contained flats at the same building. The two proposals should not be confused.
Former Prudential building named on council’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list
On 10 December 2025, Southend City Council launched its ‘Dirty Dozen’ initiative to focus attention on derelict, vacant and stalled sites across the city.
The council included 7–11 Elmer Approach on its initial list, alongside locations including the Kursaal, Marine Plaza and the former New Empire Theatre site.
Council leader Daniel Cowan said at the launch: “This new approach by the administration will highlight these sites and we’ll engage with owners to expedite their improvement, enhancing the city’s environment and investment potential.”
The initiative is intended to encourage owners to take action, although inclusion on the list does not automatically require a particular development scheme to be completed.
Could the building still become homes?
Southend’s emerging Local Plan identifies opportunities for regeneration and new housing in the city centre, including the Elmer Square area. Earlier proposals for the former Prudential building show that residential and hotel uses have both been explored.
However, a potential future use is not the same as a fresh planning permission, an agreed construction programme or a confirmed reopening date.
The council’s [emerging Local Plan](https://localplan.southend.gov.uk/) remains a planning-policy process rather than confirmation that work at Elmer Approach will restart.
What happens next?
The May 2025 appeal decision establishes that the 119-flat conversion missed its original completion deadline and that the developer did not secure the requested variation. The December 2025 Dirty Dozen announcement confirms that the council subsequently identified the property as a priority neglected site.
There is still no independently confirmed current completion timetable or definitive future scheme established by those documents. The current registered ownership and any more recent planning or enforcement developments would require separate confirmation.
For people passing the building near The Forum, the unanswered question remains when its unfinished appearance will finally be addressed.
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