THURROCK Council is planning to sell off one of its prestigious housing estates to raise cash to meet crippling debt.

Councillors have been briefed that the council is about to market 102 properties, all less than ten years old, in Tilbury on the site of former St Chad's school in Tilbury.

When they were built the new homes were praised and the council development, of 128 homes in total, won an RIBA East Award in 2018 with the judges stating: "They could show the housebuilders a thing or two about placemaking, even in areas of low house values and little investment.

"These are houses that would be prized and pampered in more privileged parts of the UK."

The estate was developed by the council's own house-building scheme established under the Labour administration and called Gloriana.

Of the 128 homes the council became a 'private' landlord for rented properties, while some were sold at market value. The house at St Chad's are distinct from 'normal' social housing as they are rented on the private market and not through the council's losting system.

Homes at St Chads.

When Conservatives took over the council in 2016 it wasn't long before they changed the name of the organisation to Thurrock Regeneration Ltd, but it still showcased the estate as an exemplar development.

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Council bosses have now briefed local councillors that the remaining properties on the estate will be sold off in one block as part of its disposal programme to achieve capital receipts to reduce debt.

Residents of the homes have yet to be told they will soon get new landlords.

The council says it has employed marketing agents Avison Young to begin the sales process and contact potential investors.

Tilbury ward councillor John Allen says the news is disappointing, adding: "This shows how far the council has now fallen. This was a prestige venture showing Thurrock at the forefront of local housing, giving people affordable homes.

"Now they will be sold off - who knows to! Maybe we will see more London boroughs buying up our homes and displacing their residents here.

"While the council will cash in on a lump sum, in the long term it will lose out because it will no longer have all the rental income it has been getting which should be used to improve existing homes and build more in the social housing sector.

"The fire sale has begun and Thurrock is being sold down the river."