A DETAILED report into the subject of office blocks turned into homes (permitted developments) was made at Harlow Council.

Changes to the law has allowed developers to make the changes without planning permission.

Since then thirteen offices have been converted into over 1,000 units for people to live in.

The item was discussed at the Harlow Council Scrutiny Committee.

Delivering the report, Head of Community Well-Being, Jane Greer took councillors through the impact of the new form of housing.

Ms Greer told the chamber that they had written to all the chief executives of councils who had sent residents to Harlow.

The council detailed the large number of problems that had arisen.

This included:

1. High volume of calls to Essex Police
2. Suspected drug use and drug dealing.
3. Incident son domestic abuse.
4. Children been placed out-of-area while on Child Protection Plan. This is contrary to London boroughs own protocol for out of area placements.
5. Lone males hanging around sites leading to concerns about the potential for grooming of vulnerable adults and children.
6. Some resident children have told school staff they they are frightened to go home and are unable to sleep at night.

The officer detailed what works had been done so far as well as stress that there were property groups such as Caridon Property Group (who run Terminus House) who had evicted tenants where necessary.

A fifteen minute film of the item is below.