PLANS to build 13 flats on the site of a once-popular Austrian restaurant are set to be given the green light.

The Old Vienna on Eastwood Road, Leigh, closed its doors in 2016 following a poor hygiene inspection and has been left an “absolute eyesore” ever since, according to residents and councillors.

Now, plans to clear the partially demolished building and build a part two, part three storey block of flats in its place are expected to be approved, subject to conditions.

These include paying £224,053.17 towards off-site affordable housing as well as £23,359.59 towards secondary education.

Funds would be allocated to the expanding Eastwood Academy, along with seven other secondary schools to help accommodate the increase in secondary pupils potentially caused by the build.

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But Carolyne Goodall, who lives in Leigh, fears the town’s infrastructure won’t cope with such an addition and feels a new restaurant could’ve been a better fit for the site.

The 51-year-old, said: “The roads are so busy already and my daughter gets picked up for school near there. It’s a bit of a blind corner. I worry it will be even busier once building starts.

“It has been sitting there empty and it is an eyesore, but I think a restaurant would’ve been nice. It was quite old fashioned and you used to get up to sing and dance there. I went a few times.”

Previous plans to re-open the restaurant came to nothing and an application for 15 flats were rejected by development control councillors in 2018. An appeal against the decision was rejected the following year.

Southend mayor, John Lamb, added: “The building is just sitting empty, so it will improve the area whatever they do. At the moment it’s an absolute eyesore and has just been allowed to run down. We need to move on.

“It would’ve been nice to have had a restaurant go back there, but at the moment it would’ve been difficult for any restaurant to survive. They are all struggling.

“Flats are needed, but 13 is as many as you’d want. That being said the roundabout there is very well used, so we need to make sure there is good access to the flats. The last thing we would want is an entrance right on the roundabout.”

Plans have been recommended to be approved at a council meeting next week.