Twelve council flats completed and ready to let in Hove

The council is about to advertise 12 newly completed flats in Hove to let as it restarts the Homemove lettings scheme later this week.

A visualisation of the new flats in Buckley Close in Hangleton

Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Twelve brand new council flats in Hangleton will be among the first properties advertised when our Homemove choice-based lettings scheme restarts.

“The homes in Buckley Close are a mix of one and two-bedroom flats and will be available to people on our joint housing register.

“They include one fully wheelchair-accessible flat with a level-access shower, adjustable kitchen and wheelchair storage space.

“Tenants moving into the new flats will benefit from reduced energy bills all year round and a pollution-free renewable source of energy thanks to solar panels fitted on the roof.

“The new development is also providing homes for local wildlife. Bat boxes, sparrow terraces and starling boxes have been included on the flats, along with nest boxes on nearby trees.

“With some covid-19 restrictions now easing, lettings through Homemove are restarting when the next cycle begins on Thursday (11 June).

“The amount of properties will be lower initially while we restart repairs and essential checks to get properties ready. We’re expecting this to increase over the following weeks.

“We’ll be putting measures in place to make sure we can maintain physical distancing for any property viewings.

“We’ll be asking that only people who need to be at the viewing attend and will invite one household at a time. Viewings where we can’t maintain physical distancing will need to be stopped.”

The Buckley Close flats were built as part of the council’s New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme.

The council said that the scheme had enabled it to build 211 homes for rent since 2015, adding: “Many more homes are in the pipeline, with building work well under way on 30 flats on the site of the former housing office in Selsfield Drive and plans recently approved for 42 homes in Victoria Road, Portslade, and four flats in Frederick Street in the North Laine.”

Councillor Gill Williams

Councillor Gill Williams, who chairs the council’s Housing Committee, said: “It’s great to see these new flats advertised and I look forward to welcoming the tenants to their new homes.

“Getting our Homemove lettings system moving again has been one of our main priorities. It’s a key part of tackling the city’s housing crisis.

“We’re making good use of council-owned sites like these to build extra homes wherever we can.

“I appreciate building work does cause disruption and I’d like to thank residents for their patience during construction. Every new council home makes a vital difference.”

Green councillor David Gibson said: “As part of our work with the Labour council, we are pushing to deliver an additional 800 council homes in our city, agreed as part of a joint housing and homelessness plan drawn up last year.

David Gibson

“Greens are pleased to see more new good-quality council housing become available. Since the plan was agreed, already we have achieved more than two additional homes for every one lost under the right to buy.

“Working cross-party, we are making ever faster progress towards our target – and it’s good to see new more energy-efficient council homes being completed in our city.

“If we are to prevent homelessness, there needs to be a step change in the availability of truly affordable housing.

“It is good to see that solar panels are also being installed. These will reduce tenants’ bills and help avoid putting more toxic emissions into the atmosphere.”