THE redevelopment of the Springhouse Club at Corringham into a residential site and a new sports club has taken a leap forward with planning officers recommending approval of the plan.

At a meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee on Thursday, 7 January councillors will be asked to give the green light to the scheme which will see the creation of four apartment blocks containing a total of 95 new homes, of which 55 will be one bedroom apartments and 40 two-bedroom apartments.

One of the blocks will contain a gym at ground floor level and the plan includes the creation of a new ports and social club with associated facilities including bowls pavilion, bowling green and petanque terrain and associated facilities including parking.

The new club building would include a replacement sports hall and social club facilities.

Approximately 0.3 hectares of the playing field would be lost for the redevelopment scheme but the majority of the club's playing field would be retained.

The applicants through agents Beresford and Barnes, say the scheme will have significant benefits for the area .

A statement to council says: "The primary drive for the application is to retain the sports club functions in an economically sustainable manner.

"The best way of achieving this is through the development of a new clubhouse that is part-funded through the residential development which will act as an enabling phase.

"The residential development has been designed to strike the right balance between maximising the yield of this site to provide much-needed housing in a highly sustainable location in a town centre setting to meet the local demand, without impacting on the residential amenities and the wider neighbourhood.

"The field to the rear of the site has been retained, leaving potential for further expansion of the sports club facility at a future date. It is our view that the proposal will have a positive effect on the area."

The full application put before councilors can be read here.