A ground-breaking development of 42 energy efficient council homes has just been completed in Portslade.
The development in Victoria Road is our most sustainable new council housing scheme to date.
It is also one of the largest schemes completed so far in our New Homes for Neighbourhoods building programme.
The homes are a mix of one, 2 and 3 bedroom flats and will be called Jay Court and Perching Court.
A ground source heat pump system will provide heating and hot water for the homes as part of our commitment to cut carbon emissions and help residents manage their energy bills. The homes are also highly insulated.
Solar panels will provide electricity for lighting in communal areas of the flats and for external lighting.
Other features include planted ‘living’ walls, bat boxes and bee bricks to encourage biodiversity, and a communal garden for residents which will have fruit trees and a wildflower lawn area.
The homes are being let to people on the council’s housing register.
New Homes for Neighbourhoods is providing much-needed council homes for rent on council-owned land across the city.
Energy efficient homes
Councillor David Gibson, co-chair of the Housing Committee, said: “Providing more council homes is a priority for us and it’s great to see these new homes finished.
“The completion of Jay Court and Perching Court provides a big boost of 42 new homes to our programme, with residents due to move in later this month.
“This is a ground-breaking project featuring highly energy efficient homes, designed to go further than ever towards the council’s carbon neutral targets for 2030. These include the first development with a ground source heat pump system.
“Completion of the development means that, including homes bought back through our Home Purchase Policy, we’re on schedule to deliver almost 500 additional homes over the 4 years up to May.”
Guy Hannell, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Southern Home Counties, said: “It is an exciting moment for everyone involved in the Victoria Road project at Morgan Sindall and Brighton & Hove City Council, as we’ve delivered high-quality, sustainable homes for the long-term future, for the people of Brighton & Hove.
“In line with the council’s carbon neutral target of 2030, the project team has prioritised carbon-reduction techniques at every stage throughout the build and in operation. This will secure the long-term future of these much-needed homes.”
Community facilities
The Victoria Road development is built on the site of a former housing office and bowls club, behind Portslade Town Hall. As well as providing new homes, it has also provided new community facilities.
As part of the project, a new sports pavilion was built nearby in Victoria Recreation Ground and opened in 2021 to provide a new home for Portslade Bowls Club.
Facilities at the pavilion include an outdoor artificial all-weather bowling green, a short mat indoor bowls area, changing rooms, and a kitchen.
A small new outdoor space, with trees and seating, is also being provided for people using Portslade Town Hall and new artwork will be installed.
Providing more council homes
A range of other projects are underway or in the pipeline to develop new council homes. These include:
New Homes for Neighbourhoods
Work is due to start on new council homes in Frederick Street in the city centre and in the summer on 3 homes in Rotherfield Crescent, Hollingbury.
Plans for 212 council homes and a new community hub in Moulsecoomb were approved by the Planning Committee in January.
Homes for Brighton & Hove
A development of 104 new homes is nearing completion in Wellington Road, Portslade and will be the first development delivered by Homes for Brighton & Hove, a partnership between the council and affordable housing provider, Hyde.
The development of one, 2 and 3 bedroom flats includes 49 new council-rented homes at truly affordable social rents, with the rest available through Hyde as shared ownership homes. It will be called Quay View.
Homes for Brighton & Hove is also building 242 low-cost homes in Coldean, which include 127 social council-rented homes. The development in Coldean Lane is due to be completed this autumn.
The council-rented homes will be let to people on the council’s housing register.
