‘Not realistic’ – Basildon Council leader on London council’s plan for empty offices

Havering Council has agreed with the owners of Eastgate House in Basildon to house more than 30 homeless households.

Plans have been agreed to convert unused offices in the block into accommodation.

However, Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Council, insists the plan won’t happen, saying: “These are not going to be properties that are going to come forward.”

He says he was offered the space for Basildon families but turned it down as there “wasn’t any realistic chance that this is going to come to fruition.”

He said: “I’m quite relaxed about this because any council anywhere in the country can agree to take out a lease and enter into an agreement, but there has to be a load of conditions that are met before that lease can be granted.

“Often, it’s not within the gift or power of the council to ensure those conditions are met. It’s third parties, freeholders, people who own the buildings, and people who are major shareholders in these buildings.

“With what’s going on with temporary accommodation and what’s going on with homelessness, there’s not a week goes by a leader of a council is inundated with proposals for where you could buy property, take out leases in property. 

“The Eastgate is one that was put to me but when I looked at it, there wasn’t any realistic chance that this is going to come to fruition.

“Although it feels like Havering Council has done it to tick and box and say look we are getting active, we are trying to reduce our spend on hotels and bed and breakfast lets, they know themselves they’re never going to be actually signing the contract to enter into that lease.

“There’s a number of reasons around health and safety of the building, access, new planning conditions around entrances and exits but also around the people who own the centre who have to sign this off.”

He added that since becoming leader he’s purchased more than 350 properties to reduce the bill of temporary housing on the council.

He insisted he’s “not sitting here on my hands” refusing do to so.

Relating to the plans for the office block, he added: “In my view and in the view of officers and property professionals, these are not going to be properties that are going to come forward.”