Plymouth Civic Centre squatters defy eviction

Squatter Stu said the building "could sort out all the housing for the homeless"

Squatters are refusing to leave a multi-storey tower block which was once a council's headquarters.

The 15-storey Civic Centre in Plymouth, sold by the city council to developers in 2015, has been occupied by seven squatters for four weeks.

One of the squatters, called Stu, said: "It's derelict and it's safer than being on the streets."

Civic Centre owner Urban Splash confirmed it was taking legal steps to evict the squatters.

The firm said it hoped "to resolve the matter swiftly".

The tower block was sold by the city council to developers after it was listed and could not be demolished

Stu, who did not want to give his full name, said he and others had medical issues that meant hostel living was not suitable.

"We have nowhere else to go," he said. "I suffer many seizures a day. Here it's safe, and we look after each other, so we're not going away."

He said that no damage had been done to the Grade II-listed building, which he called a "waste of property".

"We're not bothering people," he said. "That building could sort out all the housing for the homeless."

Urban Splash wants to turn the Civic Centre into flats, offices and shops

The Civic Centre was opened by the Queen in 1962

English Heritage has called the tower block "an iconic feature in the centre of Plymouth".

The Civic Centre, which was opened by the Queen in 1962, was listed in 2007, saving it from demolition by the local authority.

After failing to get the listing removed, the city council sold the block for £1 to Urban Splash, which plans to turn the building into 144 flats above offices, shops and "leisure space".

Urban Splash said in a statement that it had been told about the squatters on 23 January and "immediately took legal advice".

It said: "We have already begun the appropriate proceedings to take back possession of the property."