Croydon Council is set to approve plans to convert an old office building into 73 temporary accommodation flats, helping meet the growing demand for housing. The 1960s-built Zodiac Court, once home to Mark and Jez in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show as the fictional Apollo House, is now on track to play a key role in addressing the borough’s housing crisis.
The council’s proposal involves turning part of the building into self-contained flats, ranging from one to three bedrooms. Croydon is seeking to secure a 999-year lease for the former office section, where the flats will be located.
If approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday (January 23) this development would ease Croydon’s temporary housing shortages. According to the council’s figures, 3,600 households in the borough are currently living in temporary accommodation.
The borough is also under pressure from neighbouring areas, with an increasing number of residents needing to be housed in Croydon after failing to find suitable accommodation closer to home. Croydon faces mounting financial challenges in tackling homelessness, with a projected overspend of more than £15 million for 2024/25. Council reports link this to a severe shortage of affordable homes and rising costs in the private rental market.
The council hopes initiatives like the Zodiac Court project will help reduce these pressures and alleviate strain on other temporary accommodation blocks, such as Windsor and Concord House, which are nearby on London Road.
Hoardings have surrounded Zodiac Court for years due to the site’s ongoing refurbishment. The building, which had been vacant for 30 years, and its iconic tower block, required substantial restoration.
While Croydon will use part of the building for its 73 units, the rest, including its tower, will remain with the freeholder. The tower currently has space for 64 units.
While the main building is nearing completion, works on the public square and the community building will continue for at least another 10 months
(Image: Harrison Galliven/LDRS)
The council will use a mix of its general fund, Right to Buy proceeds, £5.1m of Local Authority Housing Fund money, and borrowing to fund the lease. The council assures residents that the decision is financially viable, with more than half of the funding coming from government grants and Right to Buy funds.
Alongside the flats, the council hopes to eventually acquire the public garden space and community building on site. Once the works are finished, the developer will lease the public square and community centre to a local group, who will be responsible for maintenance.
The council hopes this move will allow the Broad Green community to use the front of the building as a public space. A move-in date for the new flats has not yet been set.
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