Empty offices in Basildon town centre are set to be transformed into an 11-storey block of flats as part of a project which will provide 86 new homes as plans have been given the go-ahead.

Three floors within Eastgate Business Centre on Southernhay, Basildon town centre, were formally used as office accommodation but have sat empty for approximately six years.

Currently standing at five storeys, the building will have six additional storeys added to accommodate the flats, bringing it to 11 storeys in total. At present the application includes no provision of affordable housing, of which Basildon Borough Council generally asks for a minimum of 31 per cent.

However, planning committee chairman Councillor Alex Myers (Con., Wickford Castledon) and others in attendance assessed that the public benefits offered by the project outweighed the lack of affordable accommodation, and was additionally welcomed in the face of the council being unable to produce a five year housing supply across the district.

Eastgate Business Centre is also within close proximity of the Grade II listed Brooke House, although it was ruled that “less than substantial harm” would be caused to the historical building, with benefits to the public again outweighing this on balance.

Danny Young,  agent for the project’s applicant, said that the plans “maximise the use of previously developed land that is well-connected to public services”, as well as reducing the pressure of green belt development.

He added that developers Eastgate ACA Limited hoped to create “a building that works in isolation, but also with the future growth of Basildon”.

Aiming to obtain sustainability targets, the building will become a car free development, with a total of 112 cycle parking spaces and the exception of six blue badge-holder bays.

Councillor Andrew Schrader (Con., Billericay East) said that although the lack of affordable housing in the application made him “super sad; the viability of these town centre schemes is shot to heck”, overall the development would be “less objectionable” than others in Basildon.

However, other councillors demonstrated more optimism than Cllr Schrader in congratulating the applicant and developer. Councillor Melissa McGeorge (Lab., Vange) asked: “What is there not to like?”, with Councillor Phil Turner (Con., Billericay West) saying: “Well done to the planners and applicant for coming up with a scheme we can get behind.”

Councillors voted unanimously to grant planning permission for the development.