Exciting news for Southend as plans for four new floors at Mariner House get the green light, adding much-needed housing to the area
Southend: The council has just approved plans to add four new floors to Mariner House. This project, put forward by ArchPL for Irfan Kilicoglu, faced some pushback, but it’s moving ahead.
These new floors will create eight flats, mixing residential and office spaces. Right now, a lot of the building is sitting empty, so this is a great way to use it.
Matt Dent, a Labour councillor, is all for it. He believes these new homes are just what the High Street needs. He’s excited to see them finished.
He mentioned, “There’s a housing need in Southend, and we have targets to meet. More housing near the High Street is definitely a good thing.”
Matt is looking forward to seeing these flats completed. He pointed out that with the current housing crisis, we really need more places for people to live, especially in the right areas.
The design for the new floors will match the existing building, keeping the same materials and style. They’ll even have “winter garden style” balconies to help keep things cozy.
Of course, there were some concerns from residents. They worried about the building’s infrastructure, lift access, refuse storage, and parking issues.
Earlier this year, plans for two extra floors were turned down because the developer didn’t provide enough info on safety and airport regulations. But now, Southend Airport has given the thumbs up for the height increase.
