ONCE A home for senior British politicians, including former home secretary David Blunkett, 62 South Eaton Place in London’s plush Belgravia district has close-circuit television, panic buttons and bullet-proof windows.
Now, it also has 10 squatters.
The group, some from Germany, others from the Netherlands and Romania, managed to get into the building this week through an open window, much to the embarrassment of its state owners, the Crown Estate.
Last night there was little sign of life in the building, although the group – which is protesting about the number of properties lying idle in London – is awaiting an eviction notice that may not be long in coming.
Film-maker Mark Guard, who speaks for the group known as “the Belgravia Squatters”, said one in eight of all state-owned buildings in the capital was empty, while private owners were leaving tens of thousands more idle.
“It is an absolute disgrace that this house has been left empty for more than three years. They should be moving in nurses, firemen and teachers, not to mention the homeless,” said Mr Guard, who has not taken up residence.
The Eaton Place house, with six bedrooms, three reception rooms, two bathrooms, two kitchens and an outside terrace, has not been lived in since Mr Blunkett moved out three years ago after he lost his place in the British cabinet.
Unlike other owners who have left properties idle, the home office has actually been trying to sell the 4,500sq ft property but, despite 80 viewings, no one has yet even made an offer for it.
Last night, a home office spokesman said: “We are aware a group of squatters have entered into the building. We are taking appropriate action to remove the squatters as soon as possible.”
The lack of occupants in 3,000 high-quality buildings is a source of concern for Westminster City Council, which often struggles to discover the identity of the owners kept hidden by a maze of offshore companies.
Some of the owners are so rich that they have simply forgotten about the properties, while others can afford to do nothing with them until the day when they might decide to occupy them or sell them on.
For example, two seven-storey properties, each worth £10 million (€11.08 million), on Park Lane overlooking Hyde Park have been left vacant.
Registered to companies in the British Virgin Islands for more than seven years, they were briefly occupied by squatters.
The offshore companies ignored warning letters from Westminster City Council until they were threatened with compulsory purchase orders.
Builders arrived and stayed on site for a few days, before leaving the properties empty once more.
In Mayfair, near the United States embassy, four properties – each worth a minimum of £15 million – have been left idle for eight years or more, according to Westminster City Council, although some have changed hands in the meantime.
