Derelict youth centre in Harlow demolished to build new music venue and homes in £20m redevelopment plans

Redevelopment plans include a new live performance/music venue and residential apartments

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A former private youth housing complex in Harlow has been knocked down this week (August 1) to construct new developments for the town centre. Demolition for the Occasio House site, at Playhouse Square, has started as part of a £20m redevelopment plan to regenerate the town centre.

Plans include a new live performance and music venue, residential apartments, new pedestrian-focused and engaging public square for event use, contemporary bar and café, plus studios spaces for creatives use.

The Occasio House was previously used as a private accommodation and service centre for young people before closing in 2016. The site has been vacant ever since and Harlow Council revealed its building are covered aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, similar to the cladding used on Grenfell Tower.

The council decided to purchase the site back in December 2022. They decided to demolish and transform the site after discovering it would cost more than £7m to bring the building back into use.

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The four-storey block is being bulldozed and stripped out before starting to knock down the larger six-storey block. The demolition is expected to be completed by December 2023 and the council has been removing all usable equipment and furniture to donate to local charities over the last few months.

Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, who was on site as demolition started, said: “It signals a crucial moment for the regeneration of town centre and our priority to rebuild of our town with the beginning of the demolition of the derelict Occasio House site.

"The phased demolition will enable delivery of our £20m regeneration scheme which will transform the Playhouse and College squares with a new live performance venue, upgrades to Harlow Playhouse, high quality residential apartments and much more besides.

“There is no doubt that the demise of the Occasio House buildings is a sad one – these have stood derelict, unfit for use and blighting this area of the town centre for too long.

"The action we are taking will ensure we inject new life into this part of the town centre and restore pride as part of our phased approach to regenerating the whole town centre."