COUNCIL tenants have been moved out of a town centre tower block after a mains water leak flooded the basement. 

Brooke House, in Basildon Town Centre experienced the flooding on Friday, 18 July when some cars were partly submerged.

Water was almost up to knee height in some parts of the building. 

Workers from Essex and Suffolk Water as well as Morgan Sindall Property Services attended the block of flats to help with the leak and flooding.

Basildon Council, which owns the block, says all 10 residents of its tenants have been moved out and relocated. Currently it's unclear how long residents could be in alternative accommodation, what work needs to be carried out, how long it will take and the cost.

The block is now empty with nobody living there but security has been on site.

The 14 storey block was built in the 1960s, it has 84 flats and is Grade II listed.

Basildon Council agreed a £16million revamp of the block, back in June 2022 and the project includes a ground-floor extension to create a new entrance, as well as upgrades to the roof, fire escapes, CCTV, insulation, cladding, and windows. The council has been relocating the residents before works begin. 

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "We can confirm that all 10 residents in leasehold flats were moved out by the council on Friday, 18 July and provided with alternative accommodation and until we know the full extent of the damage to their property, we are unable to say how long they will be in the accommodation provided.

"The mains water leak has now been fixed, and we are assessing the full extent of the damage caused once all the water has been pumped out and only then we will be able to fully cost and set timescales. The council's plans for the building remain unchanged."