MORE than 30 flats could replace two vacant NHS buildings.

Planning applications have been submitted to convert New and Old Ivy Chimneys in Hatfield Road, Witham, into a total of 32 flats.

The two separate buildings were owned by the North Essex Partnership as mental health facilities before they were sold less than a year ago, with Old Ivy Chimneys used more recently as a bowls club.

Developers are proposing to build seven two-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom houses for market housing on the 0.2 hectare New Ivy Chimneys site, along with 26 parking spaces.

This is in addition to eight two-bedroom flats, three houses with four or more bedrooms, eight houses with an unknown number of bedrooms and 44 parking spaces on the 6,193 sq m Old Ivy site.

Two applications were submitted by agent DAP Architecture and validated by Braintree Council on February 9.

A decision is due to be made by May 11.