Sheepen Place Colchester building remains empty months on

The large and imposing office block, in Sheepen Place, Colchester, was previously home to Informa UK until the publishing firm moved into work space at The Octagon.

Since then concrete blockades have been placed at the main entrances of the site, glass doors have been boarded up and the building has been tagged with graffiti.

There is also a full-to-the-brim skip positioned outside the empty and now tired-looking premises, which backs onto the idyllic and picturesque River Colne.

Abandoned - Concrete blockades have been placed at the main entrances of the site (Image: Newsquest)
Dormant - The office block in Sheepen Place has remained empty for several months (Image: Newsquest)
Mark Goacher, Colchester councillor for Castle ward, has now called for a decision over the future of the building to be made as soon as possible.

If not, he fears it runs the risk of becoming a hotbed for crime.

“I have concerns if left empty the building could become a magnet for anti-social behaviour and further graffiti - so the sooner it can be put to use, the better,” he said.

“I’d prefer it to be put to office use but also that it be assessed to see whether it is up to date in terms of carbon neutrality.”

Concern - Colchester councillor for Castle ward, Mark Goacher (Image: Newsquest)

The building is understood to have been on the market for an undisclosed fee for nearly a year with estate agents Strutt & Parker.

Pre-application advice for a “residential scheme” has also been sought from council bosses - the details of which have been described as “commercially sensitive”.

In lieu of the building being transformed into something beneficial to the area, Mr Goacher has admitted he would not be upset if the former office block was torn down.

He added: “It is not a particularly attractive building so I could live with it being demolished and the site upgraded.

Mess - A skip full to the brim with rubbish has been left outside the entrance to the building (Image: Newsquest)
Tarnished - The building has been tagged with graffiti (Image: Newsquest)
“But what that area of Colchester does not need is a poorly designed residential building where residents are crammed in like sardines in boxes.

“So, I’d like to see it become anything but the latter.”

Strutt & Parker bosses have now said the owner is keen to "dispose of the property", which has been vacant since February.

A spokesman said: "The site has been vacant since February 2023, following a unsuccessful marketing campaign in 2022, where little interest was shown in the existing building.   

"The property has remained on the market since through Strutt & Parker. The owner is keen to dispose of the property and believes it offers significant development potential most likely for a mix of commercial and residential use, utilising or replacing the existing building and making more effective use of the large car parking area.

"We are just commencing a new series of discussions with the council’s planning team to define suitable parameters for the re-use or redevelopment of the property which it is hoped can be used to inform a new marketing campaign to launch next year. “