A RULING by a Government planning inspector will ensure another Basildon town centre office block will be converted into flats.

Basildon Council had rejected plans to convert Northgate House, above the BHS department store, into 87 homes in July last year.

But, after developer AA Homes appealed the decision, a Government inspector has overturned the council ruling, which will allow the scheme to go ahead.

It adds to a trend of town centre office blocks being converted to residential use, coming just weeks after plans were unveiled to revamp Basildon’s Jobcentre.

The Northgate House project was first mooted in 2005, with planning permission for 99 flats being granted, but the homes were never completed despite preparatory work taking place.

The council initially threw out the proposal from AA Homes because of the work which had already been carried out.

But planning inspector Claire Victory dismissed the refusal by ruling in favour of AA Homes, concluding the development will have “no adverse impacts” on infrastructure.

She said: “Northgate House was built and occupied as offices and at the site visit I saw the building retains its open plan office format.

“The interior of the building was inastate of disrepair, and has clearly been vacant for a considerable period of time.

“The submissions from both parties indicate that the building was vacant prior to May 2013, and has not been occupied for residential purposes at any time since it was constructed.”

Kevin Blake, Tory deputy leader of the council, says he supports good quality apartments being built in the town centre, and believes they can help the town’s economy.

He said: “Provided the design is right, and the quality is good, then I am all for building flats in the town centre. It’s important for there to be plenty of shops in the town centre too. This helps us to build a strong economy for the town, the money made from these flats then means we can spend it across the borough making improvements to infrastructure.”

But Phil Rackley, Green Party councillor for St Martin’s ward, believes the town centre is being overdeveloped.

He said: “We’re in danger of turning the town centre into one great big development of flats.”