PLANS for hundreds of homes as part of plans to regenerate a notorious Essex estate could be taken over by the council after a housing association pulled out of the development. Basildon Borough Council is proposing to draw up a masterplan for the south phase of the Craylands regeneration project reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
The wider Craylands estate is being rebuilt with 763 new homes costing around £130million in total. The council is working with Homes England for funding for plans for the south phase.
Housing association Sanctuary told the council it was pulling out of the south phase of the major housing regeneration project in August 2024 as it was no longer considered viable. The plans were discussed at a cabinet meeting on September 11.
Gavin Callaghan, Labour leader of the council, said: “I want to reiterate we have huge sympathy for the residents who are on the Craylands estate, this has gone on for far, far too long. I think we might be approaching a quarter of a century that this whole Craylands regeneration has been kicking around.
“It proves just how difficult estate regeneration projects are, thanks to the right to buy, and some of those other difficulties that mean it’s hard to get full ownership and powers. The council is committed to delivering the regeneration of the Craylands south phase and we’re going to continue to engage with Homes England to look at how we can explore options to progress it.
“The council has put forward a bid to Homes England under the council house building support fund and that fund is primarily structured around providing support to fund additional professional support for the council so we can do a masterplan of the area and we can start to make things happen. We are going to be looking at the financial plan and stock review to identify how we can take this forward. For those residents living on the estate, we appreciate how frustrating it is.”
It comes after “disappointing” plans by Sanctuary were agreed to to remove 76 parking spaces, which it says are “not considered suitable or safe,” at the redevelopment. The latest plans also include increasing the size of some of the homes.
