A developer has hit back at accusations he will be destroying a historic landmark on Southend's seafront.
Andy Innell, 43, has owned the derelict lifeboat station in Western Esplanade for 17 years, but plans to replace it with a restaurant.
Today he has a planning application before Southend Council to demolish the building, which is thought to be more than 100 years old, and replace it with a three- storey restaurant.
He said: "The cliff has slipped at the back of the building, the walls are bulging and cracks can be seen in the walls. The building will fall down eventually.
"It has been derelict for all the 17 years I've owned it and nobody expressed any interest in it until I submitted my plans."
Published Thursday April 8, 2004
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