Nearly 500 flats to be built in Basildon - after government step in
The local council had previously turned down the proposals for the major building project near Market Square.
Last updated 11th Apr 2022
Four tower blocks consisting of nearly 500 new flats will be built in Basildon after an inspector overturned the local council’s refusal of the plans.
Basildon Estates Ltd, the applicant, went to appeal over the Basildon Town Square North development last year on the grounds of non-determination, after Basildon Borough Council stalled the plans.
The plans sought a mix of detailed and outline permission for buildings of up to 23 storeys containing 495 new homes, as well as commercial floorspace and amenities for the future residents, and were approved under a different administration at the council.
Now a decision has been issued by the planning inspectorate which means the scheme has permission to be built.
This is the second major scheme for the town centre the council has lost on appeal, with permission for 429 homes across blocks of up to 17-storeys in Market Square by developers Orwell allowed by the inspectorate in December last year.
For the Town Square development, council officers previously raised concerns the buildings would have a “dominating” impact on the town centre, potentially dwarfing nearby landmark Brooke House.
However, according to its published decision, the inspectorate felt the proposals would by sympathetic to the town centre and provided with needed-regeneration.
A section read: “It is agreed between all main parties that the Town Centre is in need of regeneration.
“The appeal development would deliver that, bringing about transformative change. However, for the reasons given, that transformation would deliver a visually attractive development that would have an acceptable relationship with Brooke House and the locality generally.
“I conclude that the appeal proposal would not adversely impact the character and appearance of Basildon Town Centre, with particular regard to the height, scale, massing and architectural treatment of the proposal.
“Overall, it would be visually attractive, sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and would establish or maintain a strong sense of place.”
The development will consist of two plots, the first of which will comprise of tower block up to 23-storeys, containing 265 homes, as well as amenity space, car and cycle parking, and new pedestrian accesses and circulation.
The outline permission for the second plot is for the full and partial demolition of existing floorspace, buildings of up to 230 homes, new commercial floorspace, amenity space, car and cycle parking, new pedestrian accesses and circulation, plant and storage, and associated works and landscaping.