Residents have started moving into 2 new developments in Whitehawk and Rottingdean providing a total of 59 new council homes.
Of these, 38 are in a development in Whitehawk Way, known as the Kubic Apartments.
The other 21 are in Nicolson Place and Vaughan Williams Way, on part of the former site of St Aubyn’s School in Rottingdean.
Both developments were built by private developers and have not previously been occupied. They have been bought by the council to be let as council-rented accommodation for people on the city’s housing register.
Some of the properties are ideal for existing council tenants looking to downsize, helping to free up large family homes for others.
Increasing the supply of housing in the city is a priority for the council – and the purchase of the homes is part of a range of measures to provide more council homes.
The Kubic Apartments in Whitehawk are a mix of one, 2 and 3 bedroom flats, including 2 wheelchair accessible properties.
The St Aubyn’s homes in Rottingdean are a mix of one, 2 and 3 bedroom flats and houses, including 4 wheelchair accessible properties. They were built by a developer as part of the affordable housing development on the site.
Councillor Gill Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and New Homes, said: “We are facing a housing crisis in the city and being proactive in our approach to secure more council housing.
“The purchase of the Kubic Apartments and St Aubyn’s homes provides a substantial boost of 59 good quality properties, meeting a range of needs from one bedroom flats to 3 bedroom family houses.
“We are delighted to see residents starting to move in and hope they will be very happy in their beautiful new homes.”
Measures to increase the supply of housing in the city include:
Work is getting underway to transform a former office building in the Old Steine to provide 11 new council homes.
Work will start soon on 2 new council housing developments in Hollingbury, providing a total of 12 new homes.
A proposal on the potential purchase of 21 homes to provide more council housing will be considered at the next Cabinet meeting, alongside an update on our New Homes for Neighbourhoods building programme.