Croydon plans to transform a former office from Peep Show into 73 flats to tackle housing shortages in the area
Croydon: The council is gearing up to turn an old office building from Channel 4’s Peep Show into 73 temporary flats. This move is all about meeting the rising demand for housing in the area.
Zodiac Court, built in the 1960s, was where Mark and Jez lived in the show, and now it’s set to help tackle the housing crisis in Croydon.
The plan is to create self-contained flats with one to three bedrooms. Croydon is looking to secure a long lease for this part of the building.
If everything goes smoothly at the cabinet meeting on January 23, this project could really help with the temporary housing shortage. Right now, about 3,600 households in Croydon are in temporary accommodation.
There’s also pressure from nearby areas, as more folks are needing housing in Croydon after not finding anything suitable closer to home. The council is facing financial challenges, with a projected overspend of over £15 million for 2024/25, mainly due to a lack of affordable homes and rising rental costs.
The council believes that projects like this one at Zodiac Court will help ease the pressure on other temporary housing options nearby, like Windsor and Concord House.
Zodiac Court has been surrounded by hoardings for years because of ongoing renovations. The building had been empty for 30 years and needed a lot of work.
While Croydon will use part of the building for the new flats, the rest, including the tower, will stay with the freeholder. The tower has space for 64 units.
To fund this project, the council will mix its general fund, Right to Buy proceeds, £5.1 million from the Local Authority Housing Fund, and some borrowing. They assure residents that this plan is financially sound, with a good chunk of the funding coming from government grants and Right to Buy funds.
Along with the flats, the council hopes to eventually take over the public garden and community building on site. Once everything is done, the developer will lease the public square and community center to a local group for maintenance.
The goal is to make the front of the building a public space for the Broad Green community. A move-in date for the new flats hasn’t been set yet.
