PROPERTIES in Basildon town centre could be bought up using £100million of taxpayers’ cash.

Basildon Council wants to invest in the regeneration of the centre and, at the same time, stop developers buying up office blocks and turning them into poor quality homes.

At Thursday night’s meeting, the council voted in favour of increasing funds available and to move faster on development opportunities

The council has approved plans to completely overhaul the town centre, with 4,000 new homes alongside the major East Square development.

And the funds will be used to buy town centre properties for regeneration.

Council leader Gavin Callaghan said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Basildon town centre.

“This council is committed to regeneration on a scale we haven’t seen in Basildon for 70 years. We know that Basildon can be better and we are taking proactive steps to help get the ball rolling on regeneration.

“By putting £100 million on the table for investors to see, we are signalling our clear intent. Basildon Council means business when it comes to regeneration.

“Our goal now will be to ensure full council approves the funding at an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday, August 8 so we can get on with taking back control of sites in the town centre.

“I’m more confident than I have ever been that Basildon town centre is set to change for the better.

“There is plenty of hard yards left to tread but this decision means that within the first three months of this administration we will have commissioned a new masterplan and invested significant money into the project to ensure that Basildon town centre regeneration finally gets going.”

Recently, Mr Callaghan and Basildon Council raised serious concerns over permitted developments in Basildon, which see offices turned into flats without planning approval.

One example is the 384 flats built in Cherrydown East, Basildon, while Templefields in Harlow has gained national attention after homes were branded “tiny slums” “and “human warehouses”.

It is hoped purchasing buildings in the town centre could reduce permitted developments.

When councillor Stuart Sullivan queried whether the council would be buying properties or businesses not currently on the market, Mr Callaghan insisted that “nothing is off the table.”