A DILAPIDATED block of 60-year-old flats will undergo a £6million overhaul - with bosses hoping work can begin “immediately”. 

Residents in Basildon’s Brooke House have welcomed the news after years of issues, including being left without water or power for two days last September. 

The Town Square flats, built in 1962, will be boosted by a new ventilation system, replacement windows and an improved water and electrics system.

The plan was approved as part of Basildon Council’s budget, which was given the seal of approval on Thursday night. 

Gavin Callaghan, the leader of the council, said: “We need to get the scaffolding in place.We will have a strategy to decamp people for two weeks while the work goes on.

“There’s been 20 years of investment which has been tinkering around the edges. It will be the centre piece of the town centre regeneration plan.”

Jack Whitchelo, who moved out of Brooke House in December, thanked Mr Callaghan and the council for “listening to residents.” 

He said: “I feel their pain, I had it myself. I went through what they’re going through.

“The lifts are unreliable. They break down three times a week. We went without water for two days straight.

“This money will make a huge difference to those living in there at the moment.”

Michaela Martin, 45, revealed residents still have issues and she has been without a bathroom light for 19 weeks. 

She said: “I haven’t had a bathroom light for 19 weeks, and there’s been a leak in the bathroom since October. The engineers haven’t been able to find the leak yet.

“I was offered temporary accommodation but it wasn’t pet friendly, and I’ve got a dog.

This work and renovation can’t come soon enough.”

Mr Callaghan added that the windows are unsafe and would be replaced. 

He said: “Windows open from bottom up at the moment, we are changing that so they open from the top.

“We are also going to build double glazed windows as well, there has been a lot of noise complaints from there.We’re also putting improved CCTV and lift shafts in there.”