THE clock is ticking down for residents to pass comment on the latest, amended application to build a residential block in the heart of Stanford-le-Hope.

For eight years plans have been mooted to build on the site of the King Street car park, which was controversially sold by the council in 2013 for a knockdown price on the understanding that any development on the site would include significant parking for the town centre.

However, a legal blunder by the council meant that fact was omitted from the sale contract and when an original planning application – which did offer the requisite parking - expired, the land owners could do what they wished regarding parking, subject to planning permission being granted.

A number of schemes have been put forward and all have been rejected to date.

The latest to be considered was rejected by councillors at the planning committee, whose decision was supported by the planning inspectorate on appeal earlier this year.

However, an application submitted last year also remains undecided.

Originally it was for 47 flats but in April the developers, having studied the reasons the planning inspector upheld the council's decision, came back with a new plan for 32 residential units.

Full details of the new scheme with drawings and elevation plans can be found via this link.

The developers say they have taken into the consideration all the reasons for the objections and the new plan, which still includes a five story building, now is less intrusive and three shops on the ground floor improve the look of the project from the ground.

The plan replaces the existing 102 public parking spaces with 43 short term spaces and 16 long term permit places.

Residents will get 32 parking spaces plus two visitor parking spaces and there will be three spaces for the shops.

Already there have been more than 150 comments from residents on the council's planning portal – the vast majority objecting to the scheme.

The deadline for public comments expires on Wednesday, 9 June.

If you wish to comment you can do so via the following link.