A ONCE busy retail park has been reduced to rubble ahead of the construction of 245 new homes in Basildon town centre.

Demolition work at the Great Oaks Retail Park has now been completed and the former Staples and Carphone Warehouse shops have been fully razed to the ground. 

Pictures show the site now consists of piles of rubbish ahead of work starting to build 245 eco-friendly homes across an 11-storey block of flats. Demolished - Great Oaks Retail Park Demolished - Great Oaks Retail Park (Image: Newsquest) Complete - A digger at the demolition site Complete - A digger at the demolition site (Image: Newsquest)
Plans were first given the green light by Basildon Council last October and demolition work got underway roughly three weeks ago. 

Developer, Donard, has also committed to having the first floor of the block become shops.

Kerry Smith, Independent councillor responsible for housing, is happy to see work progress at the site in quick time and believes that the work shows Basildon is “getting back on its feet.”

Rubble - A building broken down Rubble - A building broken down (Image: Newsquest)


He said: “To be fair, it had planning permission, and no one wants to see it empty and left, it might not be to everyone’s tastes, but the homes will play council tax and currently the site is not generating any income for the council.

“It also goes towards the government housing target.

“The trouble is with that site is that it is in isolation and had it been done carefully. We may have seen a new ambulance hub and fire service site there, but the developer submitted and now they are building."In progress - Part of the former Staples broken apart In progress - Part of the former Staples broken apart (Image: Tracey Ann) Rubble - The broken apart retail park Rubble - The broken apart retail park (Image: Tracey Ann)


The development focuses on creating “sustainable homes” and plans heat pumps, to reduce residents’ bills, alongside rooftop gardens, extensive cycle parking and space for public artwork.

Mr Smith added that the development will help with town centre visitors.

He said: “No one wants an eyesore being land banked, it is more footfall for the shops we do have in out town centre and that will support businesses and that is where people will be going.

“It was a dead piece of land and the developer is cracking on with it. It tells people we are getting on and we are finally getting Basildon back on its feet again.”

Initial plans for the development were green lit in 2021 but no work started and scaled back plans were approved in 2023.