Homeless people could be sent to live in Kent from Essex as a local authority considers buying hundreds of new-build flats in the county.

Basildon council has revealed potential plans to acquire 150 apartments in Taylor Wimpey’s controversial Knights Reach development in Stone, near Dartford, to address its “urgent need” for temporary accommodation.

A spokesperson said: “The potential decision to purchase homes in Dartford is being considered based on availability, affordability, and suitability of the properties.

“Although these homes are outside Basildon, this approach allows the council to reduce reliance on short-term, higher-cost housing options, ultimately aiming to provide better, more stable living conditions for families in need.”

The local authority could fork out £50 million on the acquisition as it looks to invest £80 million in buying 500 properties over the next five years to provide temporary homes, as reported by The Echo.

According to papers discussed at a cabinet meeting in September, the council has 717 households in temporary homes but only 451 temporary properties in Basildon with more stock in Barking and Southend.

The report states that although the authority aims to provide suitable accommodation within the borough, it is having to look elsewhere due to increasing pressures on available units.

It said it has faced challenges as the Home Office and London boroughs continue to buy properties in the area causing a reduction in potential sites available to the council.

Following the meeting, members permitted officers to negotiate the acquisition of homes at the Knights Reach development - 20 miles away from Basildon.

The 750-home housing estate received backlash from nearby residents when it was proposed as they were worried about the impact more people moving into the village would place on public services, particularly the NHS.

Basildon council has said it understood the concerns and would provide tenants with resources and assistance to integrate into the community if they were placed there.

A spokesperson added: “Additionally, we will work closely with local partners and authorities to address potential service impacts and to ensure that any move benefits both our tenants and the community."

The Essex authority is still in the process of considering the financial implications of the proposal and Dartford council’s party leaders have urged it to “rethink” branding it “short-sighted”.

Shadow leader, Cllr Jonathon Hawkes (Lab) said: “We need to see what decision Basildon council finally reaches, however, the Labour group in Dartford would not welcome local housing being bought up in this way.

“I think everyone wants to see properties in Dartford purchased by people who want to make their home here.

“It is also not a good situation for families from Basildon to be placed miles away from their friends and families, schools or jobs. We would urge Basildon to rethink.

“However, we need to understand why this is happening. Over the 14 years of the previous Conservative government, homelessness doubled.

“It is clear this is a huge challenge for all councils, of all political colours, across the south east.”

Leader of Dartford council, Cllr Jeremy Kite (Con) added: “Basildon Council should be finding its own local housing solutions rather than thinking of buying homes in Dartford.

“It is important to make clear that these are open-market properties totally unconnected with Dartford’s own social housing stock.

“It looks as though Basildon council is trying to do a deal with a developer to buy private housing and the government currently offers no legal way to stop them.

“Short-sighted proposals like this simply move the problem around and make it even more likely that other councils will have to follow suit as their own local housing market is distorted by other local authorities.

“I think Dartford residents will be pretty annoyed by the Labour’s group leader to try to find justifications for Basildon’s decision.

“Dartford council has faced exactly the same pressures and circumstances as Basildon over the last 14 years and we have not resorted to deals of this kind.”

In 2023/24, 474 households were placed in short-term temporary accommodation by Dartford council.