AFTER years of stalemate work is finally set to begin to redevelop a historic high street cottage.

The Elizabeth Cottage in High Street, Billericay has finally been given the green light to be redeveloped into six two bedroom flats and one one bedroom flat after a successful appeal to Basildon Council.

The scheme at the "eyesore" cottage, which is owned by Dawson Developments Limited will begin in six to eight weeks.

Speaking about finally being able to start building, John Dawson, the owner of the cottage, said: "We are just in the process of drawing up the building regulations and clearing out the garden so that we can get going on the works within the next two months.

"It is an exciting time that finally this is going ahead, we just have to get the building in shape and ready to start."

Andrew Schrader, councillor for Billericay East was on the planning committee that refused the application, after Mr Dawson bought the cottage at auction for £356,000.

He said: "It is not the sort of development I would have chosen for the cottage as they are still trying to shoehorn so many flats into that area.

"There is no parking and I understand as there a lot of flats and there are great bus links there and it's a few minutes walk from the train station, but I feel if there were a few less flats, that would have been enough."

Gary Bott, 44, head of the Billericay schools ministry was thankful something will finally be done with the cottage.

He was happy that the flats will provide some use for the building, which he believes has become a "danger" in recent times.

He said: "It would have been lovely if a family had taken it and restored it as a cottage in its former glory, but we do not live in the 1950s anymore.

"Anything that can be done to restore the building is good.

"It is sometimes the first thing people see when they are driving or walking through Billericay and the change will be great for the high street.

"If you look at the work that has been done on the flats near Sun Corner at the other end, that has totally changed the look of that area, so anything that can be done to improve it, is good."

The appeal for the redevelopment was finally approved on May 30.

When building work begins, a major extension and alterations will be made to the rear of the cottage to make space for the flats.

The front of the building will be renovated, however it will remain the same.

Mike Andrews, chairman of the Billericay Action Group said the plans' approval will be welcome news to residents in the town.

He said: "It was becoming a danger and it is a serious eyesore. The sooner we can get it looking more like something the people can be proud of the better.

"Obviously there are restrictions with the cottage but we hope that they will be taken into account and the build is done correctly."