Stroud Conservative parliamentary candidate Siobhan Baillie has slammed an option to turn Tricorn House into accommodation for asylum seekers.
The current consent for the building provides 34 parking spaces for the 44 residential units. There will also be a structure to house bats, which are present in the building.
Developers Viladnik Holdings Ltd, who have owned the building since 2022.
Ms Baillie has expressed her concern after she was told by the Home Office the owners had expressed an interest in housing asylum seekers. To her knowledge, no marketing of the flats for sale or rent has happened.
Baillie, who is seeking re-election as Stroud’s MP at the general election, has already told the immigration minister of her opposition to use the building for asylum seekers.
“Tricorn House has been an eyesore, a danger and a general thorn in this town’s side for too long so I was pleased to meet my pledge to get the place developed or demolished,” she said.
“However, my pleasure at helping to get it developed after 20 odd years has not allowed me to rest as progress post-development has clearly stalled.
“We can all see nothing is happening down there now after an awful lot of activity for a sustained period. I have tried to make enquiries about what is happening.
“We were told that the properties would be marketed for sale or rent this year and that hasn’t happened. We were told local agents were being engaged but as far as I can see that hasn’t happened either.
“The owners made an initial expression of interest a little while ago to see if the property could be used for asylum seeker accommodation. There has been no decision on that or progress as far as I am aware. But I have made it absolutely clear to ministers, civil servants, councils and anyone who will listen that I do not think Tricorn is appropriate. I want to see it used as housing options for local people.
“It may be the owners are just making enquiries to see what their options are but I am pretty clear on this and I know local people have strong feelings too.”
She added: “I have had a lot of conversations about this building over recent months and years so I am not surprised it is coming up during this election too. I will keep everyone informed when I receive an update.”
Tricorn House was built in the early 1970’s and was used as an office building for the Government Department of Health and Social Security. It was vacated in 1996.