A developer is hoping to turn a site which was once used as car show room into a block of eight flats and a dentist.

The plans to redevelop the empty site, in London Road, Westcliff into a four-storey block of eight flats is an expansion on a previous application to build a three-storey block with six flats.

The developer was granted planning permission to build the three-storey block with dental practice in September 2016 and work began in August last year but if the latest planning application is approved it will clear the way for an additional floor to be built, adding two additional homes.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer notes the extra floor will be “more efficient use” of the site and despite it heightening the building it would be in line with the nearby buildings which are similar in height.

Details of the dental surgery are limited but planning documents call it a 21st century surgery that will serve the local community.

The appplication is the latest in a series of planning applications centred around the transformation of car show rooms on London Road.

But there has been growing concerns from councillors about the impact this is having on the existing residents.

In December when similar plans for flats on a former car showroom were discussed by Southend planning committee, they were unanimously rejected.

Conservative Fay Evans who is a member of the council’s development committee, has been particularly critical of development on London Road and has called for all proposals to build extra homes to be halted until infrastructure has been improved.

She said: “We are developing and building more flats here but we haven’t got the infrastructure.

“We haven’t got the hospitals, we haven’t the GP clinics, we haven’t the education.

“When are we going to stop bringing all these people in when we haven’t the infrastructure to accommodate them?”

The plans will be considered by the council’s planning team before a final decision is made.