Burned out buildings in Southend can't be knocked down until pensioner moves out

Essex Fire and Rescue Service have not ruled out arson after the three homes in Southchurch Avenue, near the Kursaal, went up in flames on Thursday afternoon .

The Inner London Group, who own the land, aim to start work on the forthcoming Marine Plaza development in the autumn but cannot knock down the rundown buildings, which attract squatters and vandals until they buy out the one remaining resident - Florence Tall.

Mrs Tall said she is considering a new offer from the developer.

She said: “I haven’t made a decision yet, the offer is at £350,000 now and it started at £190,000.

“I don’t want to move far though, I don’t want to move away from the seafront.

“I was very worried when the fire went up, fortunately my loft does not run through with the other buildings otherwise it would have been bad.

“The police were outside all night and the forensic team have been down there too.”

Florence Tall

The area was taped off for much of Friday as police investigators examined the scene and Larry Fentiman, of the Inner London Group, said they are working to secure the site.

The fire came just a week after two deliberate fires were set at the old former rock factory, in nearby Pleasant Road, that also backs onto the Marine Plaza site development site.

Mr Fentiman said: “We would like to knock the buildings down but it would leave Mrs Tall’s home structurally vulnerable.

“Unfortunately it seems like we might have an arsonist but as much as nobody likes this, it does happen when you are in a transitional period between taking out the old buildings on a site and building the new ones.

“As a land owner we are taking measures to secure the building as soon as we can though – as we did with the rock factory.

“In terms of Mrs Tall then we have been showing her properties and I have instructed Hair and Son to look every day for suitable properties for her.”

A spokesperson for the fire service said of the fire: “The cause of the fire has been recorded as undetermined.

“Investigators cannot rule in or out and accident or it being deliberately set.”