Derelict and undeveloped sites – The dirty dozen

Southend-on-Sea City Council has decided that enough is enough for sites which are lying derelict and undeveloped, and which are a blight on the city.

The Joint Administration has set this out as a priority for 2025/26. Target and enforce against unoccupied, deteriorating buildings, as well as those that are unsafe or encroaching on public space, taking inspiration from the ‘Dirty 30’ report in Christchurch, New Zealand.

To support this, we are introducing a new policy setting out how it will work with the owners of these sites to bring about change and to encourage the owners to either develop, or sell these sites so that they can be improved and developed promptly to positive benefits to the city; whether that’s employment space, housing or simply improving how they look in the short term.

When left in disrepair, neglected or derelict sites and buildings lead to negative perceptions of the city for visitors and investors, and they hold back the city’s potential. We are developing an approach to highlight and then engage to bring about the improvement of sites that are considered to drag down the environment and hinder investment and regeneration.

We also want to encourage action to tidy up cleared vacant sites. Litter, unmanaged vegetation and unmaintained hoardings paint a poor image of the city and can attract squatters and other anti-social behaviour.

This approach will also help the city prepare for changes which Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is working through. The ministry said that where there is a case in the public interest, developers “deliberately sitting on vital land” without building homes[towards the Government’s 1.5 million target] could also have their sites acquired by councils and be stripped of future planning permissions. In addition, the government is assessing a requirement for large sites to be mixed tenure by default, saying that build-out is twice as fast where more than 40% of homes are affordable.

Our approach will therefore help prepare for any legislative changes that follow this announcement and will help prioritise development of brownfield land to deliver housing.

Proposals can be made for consideration to be added to the “Sites At Risk” list by contacting your ward councillor or emailing council@southend.gov.uk

In addition, we are keen to bring empty homes back in to use and our approach to this, and details of how to report empty homes and engage with us about this are set out here: Empty Homes Strategy – Southend-on-Sea City Council

What sort of sites will we consider for adding to the list?

Sites such as:

unoccupied buildings which are in a poor state of repair
sites which have remained vacant or undeveloped for an extended period
sites where planning permission has been granted but no progress is being made towards delivery
other sites which for other reasons have remained vacant, undeveloped for an extended period and are considered detrimental to their immediate environment.

We may also include sites where the Council has an interest to demonstrate that we are serious about taking action to bring these into use too – it’s only fair that we apply the same standards to ourselves as we do to others and we will use this to help us drive forward our approach to these sites too and to manage away the challenges that are hampering progress.

Our approach

Sites will be considered in three categories:

sites with unconfirmed intentions: where owners/developers’ intentions are not yet confirmed or where owners are not engaging positively – we willl engage with owners of these sites to establish and agree positive plans of action
sites with a clear plan and commitment for improvement– once a clear plan is in place and we are confident there is a strong commitment to delivery, these will move off the ‘Sites with Unconfirmed Intentions’ list but will be monitored to ensure progress continues
at-risk sites–these are sites/buildings which have not met the threshold (subjective judgement) for the Dirty Dozen’ list. These will be monitored, and if not improved, these may be added to the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list

Each site will inevitably have its own issues - sometimes complex -and so the decision as to the categorisation is a judgement of the owner’s current intentions and actions by the Council.

We will consider matters such as:

whether or not recent consents have been granted
whether works have commenced
if the site is being genuinely and actively marketed on reasonable terms
whether the owner has demonstrated reasonable progress in fulfilling a commitment to action
the maintenance of the site, any hoardings and its general appearance
positive actions the owner has taken such as improving hoardings, window vinyl or artwork, repairing broken windows, clearing the site, entering in to pre-application discussions or submitting a new planning application
how positively the owners engage with the council and demonstrate clear intentions

The emphasis is on providing support and assistance although where appropriate, the council will consider the enforcement options available and act.

Sites with unconfirmed intentions – The dirty dozen

The Kursaal, Southchurch Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. SS1 2YX

Tile number(s): EX348981

Owner / key parties per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold – Southend-on-Sea City Council,

Long-leaseholder – AEW, All repair and maintenance obligations rest with the Leaseholder

7-11 Elmer Approach, Southend-on-Sea. SS1 1NE

Tile number(s): EX90912

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Southend Point Limited,

Title is subject to various leases and charges. Note: Believed to have changed hands pending update at Land Registry

Marine Plaza, Southchurch Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. SS1 2EY

Tile number(s): EX172632, EX531040, EX470677 and other ancillary titles.

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Goldfield Developments, Developer: Inner London Group,

Title subject to various charges and covenants. Southend-on-Sea City Council owns small area EX830647.

New Empire Theatre Site, 22 Alexandra Road, Southend-on-Sea. SS1 1BU

Tile number(s): EX328828, EX516144

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Sky Eagle Properties Ltd

Fisherman’s Wharf, Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1EE

Tile number(s): Leasehold EX984207 and EX432734, Free, hold EX833827 (The Council)

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Estuary View Property Ltd is the registered proprietor however the lease has reverted to the Crown following period in receivership,

Freehold – Shrubbery Trust c/o The Council.

170-174 High Street, Southend-on-Sea. SS1 1JS

Tile number(s): EX90456

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Blueboys JV Ltd,

Application Pending

25 Prince Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea. SS2 6RL

Tile number(s): EX13081

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): ABHI Properties PVT Ltd

153A, 153B, 153C and 155& Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea. SS0 7EL

Tile number(s): EX175931

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Moishe Eliezer Pearlman and Judith Pearlman c/o Dasim Partners

The Old Vienna Site, 162 Eastwood Road, Leigh-on-Sea. SS9 3AG

Tile number(s): EX180914

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025)E and M Development (Essex) Limited,

Application Pending

26 Leigh Hill, Leigh-on-Sea. SS9 2DN

Tile number(s): EX299931

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Caneleigh Limited

Pier Hill Retail Units, Pier Hill (beneath Park Inn Plaza), Southend-on-Sea. SS1 2AL

Tile number(s): EX373853

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Palace Church 3 Limited,

Part of wider title which is subject to various charges and leases

823-827, 827A, 829-837 (odd) London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea. SS0 9TE

Tile number(s): EX316055

Owner / key parties (per Land Registry at 9.12.2025): Freehold: Laindon Holdings Ltd

Title subject to various charges and covenant

List to be reviewed regularly and updated as appropriate.