A homeless camp in a town centre multi-storey car park has proved to be quite the on going saga. The camp of five people in Great Oaks Car Park in Basildon has seen various calls for action and concern.

What is happening?

Five people are camping in the Great Oaks Car Park in Basildon and have been for weeks. At least six tents have been set up in Basildon’s Great Oaks Car Park, with sheets hanging around the tents being used as curtains.

Thick black sheeting, duvets and bedsheets cover walls and barriers as wind breaks and protection - with a trolley stacked with clothes.

What does the council say about it?

The Echo was previously told by Basildon Council that no one was living there and there was no evidence of people at the site. But just days later, Labour leader Gavin Callaghan admitted this was wrong. Despite the council repeatedly denying the issue, he now says the homeless people are refusing to go into hotels.

What do charities say?

Basildon Project 58.7 say there is a community living in Basildon’s Great Oaks Car Park. Bosses say it’s appalling people are having to camp in the snowy weather. They praised the council, saying the group are refusing the help being offered.

David Donoghue, 70, co-ordinator of Basildon Project 58.7 said: “We’ve been informed there are five people living there. It’s very important these people get the help they need, especially with this cold weather. The council has done a great job in dealing with homeless people and we’ve taken council housing officers to the site to get these people accommodation.

What help is being offered?

All efforts to help a homeless camp have been carried out and will be continue to be, a council bosses has insisted. Gavin Callaghan, Labour leader of Basildon Council, said his officers will keep reaching out to support the five rough sleepers in the Great Oaks Car Park, Basildon.

Mr Callaghan said: “We have been offering them temporary accommodation in hotels including Holiday Inn and the Chichester Hotel in Wickford. Our partners such as St Mungos and Basildon Project 58.7 are also directly them to food and soup kitchens too.

“We cannot force people into a van and take them somewhere, they are not prisoners and they have the right to refuse the accommodation.

What are the concerns from residents and shoppers?

One resident said it had become a “homeless ghetto”. They added: “They have a number of tents and the walls and barriers are draped in duvets to presumably act as windbreaks. There was even a fire going like you’d see in a film set in the alleys of New York. “As you can imagine, rubbish and the strong smell of urine is not exactly what you expect.”