First new housing in decades helps ease city’s housing crisis
The first new homes developed by Brighton & Hove City Council for over 20 years will be unveiled today (11 September).
Balchin Court has been developed on the site of an outdated sheltered housing scheme in Wellington Road, Brighton, through close consultation on issues such as design with tenant representatives.
The development comprises 15 brand new affordable homes, made up of:
- three four-bedroom family houses with gardens
- two fully wheelchair accessible flats with gardens – one is two bed and the other is one bed
There are also five one-bedroom flats and five two-bedroom flats.
All the homes are owned and managed by the council, which contributed land and money for the project. In addition through the Approved Development Programme Funding for the project came from the Homes & Community Agency.
Housing demand massively outstrips supply in the city, with 17,000 applicants on the housing register, and there is a shortage of family sized homes. Currently hundreds of families are waiting for four-bed homes.
Cllr Bill Randall, Chair of the Housing Committee, said:
“Demand massively outstrips supply for housing in Brighton & Hove so these new homes and the more than 400 in the pipeline represent a massive boost to the city.
“Balchin Court is the first development of new council homes for decades in the city that we have delivered through close work with our tenants.
“Not only are these top quality homes that meet tough environmental and security standards with some fully wheelchair accessible but where possible we have used local labour and apprenticeships.
“Nearly 200 new housing association homes have been completed since April 2011 and another 400 new homes are on site. Many, including those in Pankhurst Avenue and in the new Open Market, are nearing completion.
“Another 100 homes are in the pipeline. In addition, sites for another 300 homes have been identified on council estates across the city. We have bid for government funding to build 45 extra-care flats on one of these, and we are working on plans for another 30 council homes on other small sites.”