THE final hurdle to demolishing a former retail park and building 245 homes in Basildon town centre is set to be cleared in coming weeks.

Developer Turley has submitted an application to Basildon Council to remove three conditions of the planning permission so the firm can finally progress on developing the Great Oaks retail park, once home to Staples and Carphone Warehouse, and building new flats.

After demolition, an 11-storey tower block would be built as well as shops on the ground floor.

Plans were initially approved in 2021 however work is yet to get underway.

Kerry Smith, independent councillor responsible for planning and housing, admitted the homes will be built “regardless of anything” the council do but raised concerns about a lack of affordable housing in the scheme.

Original design - How the homes were set to look before plans were revised in late 2023Original design - How the homes were set to look before plans were revised in late 2023 (Image: Donard Real Estate)

He said: “There are few people who complain when these sites come on brownfield, but the residents will complain for the sweet and simple reason that our young people here won’t get anything out of these homes.

“These homes won’t go to them; they will go to someone who wants a cheaper train ticket.

“It seems to be happening everywhere, people must watch this space, but we cannot refuse it now, there is no five-year-land supply and no local plan.

“This will now happen, regardless of anything we can do.”

The final hurdle for Turley is the removal of requirements to carry out a site waste management plan, construction environmental management plan and construction logistics plan.

All three were required with the planning permission but the firm has now applied to bypass the requirements..

Mr Smith, who opposed the plans during the planning process, added: “Our government has said that 20,000 homes must be built here, and this is part of the process, it isn’t wanted on green belt and here is a brownfield site.

“These situations occur even if the council has objected to the plans, we have no five-year land supply, and this is what we have been left with after 14-years of Tory rule.”

He added that, while these plans are “more sustainable, more people are willing to demonstrate if it is a piece of green space under threat”.