Government House in Pimlico - 62 South Eaton Place

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More Parliamentary Written Answers, to Questions askked by the Conservative MP Eric Pickles, on the subject of the "Disgrace and Favour" house last occupied by the notorious, multiply disgraced former Labour Cabinet Minister David Blunkett:

The Government has been dithering for over 2 years now, about selling off this property, valued at £ 2.4 million, but they do now seem to have instructed the estate agents Savills UK (Sloane Street branch), to start putting it onto the property market.

See the previous blog article Disgrace and Favour official residences:

click for larger image of  62 South Eaton Place - picture credit Associated Press  / Barry Phillips

[...]

62 South Eaton Place, is on the southern edge of the much more posher district of Belgravia. Despite this, it looks rather prison like, with its bullet proof and blast resistant windows and curtains and CCTV cameras. It is right next door to The Belgravia public house, and within line of sight of the Belgravia Police Station, and the Victoria Coach Station terminus.

17 Mar 2008 : Column 806W

Official Residences

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made by the freeholder to leasehold extension rights regarding the Government House in Pimlico in the last five years. [183488]

Mr. Byrne [holding answer 31 January 2008]: The property is held on leases to 2053 from a superior tenant. The Department is not aware of any changes to leasehold extension rights by the freeholder.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 120W, on official residences, if she will place in the Library a copy of the tender advice for the disposal of South Eaton Place; [193186]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 455W, on official residences, what the timetable is for producing the home information pack for the sale of South Eaton Place. [193192]

Mr. Byrne: The appointed selling agents, Savills UK (Sloane Street branch), are preparing advice on the best method of sale of the Home Secretary's former residence. This requires completion of relevant market research and pre-disposal due diligence. Once completed the Department will consider Savills' report and recommendations for successful disposal but as it is likely to be commercially confidential it is unlikely that it can be placed in the Library. The home information pack will be produced when the residence is placed on the market.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 455W, on official residences, who owns the freehold on the Government House in Pimlico, South Eaton Place. [193193]

Mr. Byrne: The freehold is owned by Grosvenor and is part of Grosvenor London Estate.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 455W, on official residences, on what date the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside moved (a) into and (b) out of the residence at South Eaton Place. [193194]

17 Mar 2008 : Column 807W

Mr. Byrne: The right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) moved into the residence at South Eaton Place in the summer of 1997 and moved out in March 2006.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 455W, on official residences, what costs have been met by the public purse in respect of South Eaton Place during the period in which the property has been vacant. [193195]

Mr. Byrne: Excluding security-related decommissioning, costs of £4,500 have been incurred since March 2006.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value of the Government House in Pimlico was at its most recent valuation. [193196]

Mr. Byrne: The Department's leasehold interest in this property was most recently valued at £2.4 million.

6 Comments

Eric Pickles is still digging into the "Blunkett affair(s) and the Government House in Pimlico", with another couple of Parliamentary Written Questions:

28 Apr 2008 : Column 100W

Official Residences

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008, Official Report, column 807W, on official residences, on what date the property was valued at £2.4 million. [199510]

Mr. Byrne: The property was valued as at 31 March 2006.

28 Apr 2008 : Column 100W

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008, Official Report, column 807W, on official residences, if she will provide a breakdown of the £4,500 incurred in costs. [199511]

Mr. Byrne: The breakdown is £3,000 for utilities and the balance for council tax. For completeness the annual rent for the property continued to be paid during this period, this amounted to £7,100 per year.

Still not yet for sale:

Written Answers: 19 May 2008 : Column 104W

Government House

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Government House in Pimlico has been placed for sale on the market. [205402]

Mr. Byrne: The appointed sales agent expects to complete their due diligence and submit their disposal report imminently. A decision on timing and method of sale will then be taken.


This tainted property is now on the market, but the Labour Government cannot even abide by its own rules and policies regarding the sale:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/3741079/HIPocrisy-David-Blunketts-residence-for-sale---without-a-Home-Information-Pack.html

The Daily Telegraph reports:

HIPocrisy? David Blunkett's residence for sale - without a Home Information Pack

By Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor
Last Updated: 10:11PM GMT 13 Dec 2008

The former grace and favour home of David Blunkett has been advertised for sale without a Home Information Pack, in direct contravention of the Government's own proposed rules.

Days after Margaret Beckett, the Housing Minister, condemned home owners for exploiting a legal loophole to delay getting a pack, it can be revealed that her own department has done exactly the same thing.

Mr Blunkett's former official residence in South Eaton Place, Belgravia, which he used when he was Home Secretary, was put on the market on November 10 by her department, after standing empty for more than two years.

The six bedroom property has an asking price of £4 million and is being sold jointly through agents Ayrton Wylie and Savills.

Yet on November 26, the Government admitted in answers to Conservative parliamentary questions that the property's Home Information Pack (HIP) "will be completed shortly" – meaning that the house had been put up for sale and advertised without one. Officials only managed to provide a HIP for the house three days ago, on Dec 11.

This is not illegal as under the current 'first day marketing rules', a property can be on the market for 28 days before a HIP is provided, provided that one has been commissioned.

But last Monday, Mrs Beckett roundly criticised this practise and pledged to close the loopholes which allow it.

[...]


The Government have still not yet managed to sell this politically tainted property:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2009-06-03a.276961.h

Written answers
Wednesday, 3 June 2009

Home Department
Official Residences

Bob Neill (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Bromley & Chislehurst, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2009, Official Report, column 228W, on 62 South Eaton Place, and of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 160W, on official residences, if she will place in the Library a copy of the selling agents' advice which recommended that a home condition report not be purchased.

Phil Woolas (Minister of State (also in the Home Office), Home Office; Oldham East & Saddleworth, Labour)

The selling agent has advised that a condition report would be of little relevance as the property is most likely of interest for re-development.

A redacted copy of the agent's disposal report was placed in the Library on 26 November 2008.

http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-3055.pdf

Squatters in 62 South Eaton Place ?

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2010-01-28a.312445.h

Official Residences
Prime Minister
Written answers and statements, 28 January 2010

Francis Maude (Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office (Also Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster), Cabinet Office; Horsham, Conservative)

To ask the Prime Minister what steps are being taken to remove persons occupying the former ministerial residence at South Eaton Place.

* Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 28 January 2010, c1070W)


Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour)

South Eaton Place is unoccupied. The property is for sale.

Is Francis Maude is presumably referring to the squatters in Blunkett's former Ministerial residence.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/dec/03/squatters-david-blunkett-home

Is Gordon Brown saying that they have now been evicted ?

Or is he just out of touch, and has not been told about the squatters ?

MY name is mark guard, i am the spokes person and legal adviser for the belgravia squatters who ocupied blunketts house,im filming these guys 24 7, footage will be soon be displayed on my facebook taken in the house, including the blunkett table discustions, buy the my cousin is gordon browns pa.
Mark Guard.

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Recent Comments

  • mark guard: MY name is mark guard, i am the spokes person read more
  • NuLabour: Squatters in 62 South Eaton Place ? http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2010-01-28a.312445.h Official Residences read more
  • NuLabour: The Government have still not yet managed to sell this read more
  • NuLabour: This tainted property is now on the market, but the read more
  • NuLabour: Still not yet for sale: Written Answers: 19 May 2008 read more
  • NuLabour: Eric Pickles is still digging into the "Blunkett affair(s) and read more