Details on Council Homes From ‘New Homes for Neighbourhoods’ Project

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Brooke Mead, Albion Street, Brighton – 45 new council ‘extra care’ flats

This extra-care scheme is targeted at people with low to moderate dementia. A show flat  is now open and the scheme is being completed. See Brooke Mead web page 

Albion Hill Residents Association and local residents were involved in planning for the new community garden next to the site.

Kite Place, Whitehawk Road – 57 new council flats

Work to build 57 new council flats in two blocks on the site of the former Whitehawk Library at the junction of Findon and Whitehawk Road is progressing well, in line with the Kite Place planning permission granted in November 2015. New homes are expected to be completed in October 2017 and they are now being advertised on Homemove. The flats have one, two or three bedrooms and include flats designed for applicants in Mobility 1, 2 and 3 bandings.

The site hoardings featuring winning designs from an art competition for pupils of City Academy Whitehawk and Crew Club youth group members won runner-up prize in a hoardings competition run by the Considerate Constructors Scheme. Westridge Construction also won a Considerate Constructors award for community involvement. Due East Neighbourhood Council are taking forward residents’ feedback on other community issues and priorities for the area from the Planning for Real consultation held in March 2015.

Hobby Place, Whitehawk Road – 29 new council flats

This scheme of 29 council flats is now under construction on the previously empty site between Whitehawk Academy and the Wellsbourne Health Centre. Planning permission was granted on 27 September 2016   and work is expected to be completed in January 2018. There are two blocks with one, two or three bedroom flats including flats suitable for wheelchair users and tenants with mobility issues. All flats will be advertised and let through Homemove when the homes are close to completion.

This scheme was developed with feedback from local residents who were invited to a drop-in consultation event in February 2016 at the Whitehawk Hub to look at a model and designs. Using the ‘planning for real’ model of the area, they commented on the proposed scheme and also gave feedback to Due East Neighbourhood Council about wider Whitehawk issues and opportunities to improve the area. The hoardings featuring artwork of pupils of City Academy Whitehawk and youth graffiti art also won runner up in the Considerate Constructors national award in July 2017.

Lynchet Close, Hollingdean

Construction of six four-bedroom council houses and two two-bedroom flats started on 29 August 2017 on the open space opposite Hollingdean Park and playground, after planning consent was granted on 17 August 2017. Work is expectedto take about nine months and be completed in summer 2018. All homes will be advertised and let through Homemove when the homes are close to completion.

Kensington Street, Brighton

Planning permission for 12 new homes on three small cleared sites in Kensington Street in the North Laine was granted, following earlier consultation with local residents and businesses. The sites are being prepared for construction which is expected to start later this year.

Design competition

A competition was held with the Royal Institute of British Architects for architects to design new council homes at small former or under-used garage and parking sites at Hinton Close, Rotherfield Crescent, Natal Road and Frederick Street in Brighton. Local residents around each site were consulted on the shortlisted designs last autumn and informed of the winning designs. Work in ongoing on the plans and local residents will be consulted again before a planning application is submitted for each site.

Former Selsfield Drive housing office site, Moulsecoomb

Bates Estate residents and community representatives met the council’s architect and gave their views on a proposed new block of flats on the site of the former Selsfield Drive housing office at a drop-in consultation in February 2016 at Moulsecoomb Hall, Lewes Rd. Most of their feedback was supportive of the development and the design and Housing & New Homes Committee approved the  proposed development on 2 March 2016. The council have been liaising with Planning and will keep the resident association updated on changes to the design.

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Plumpton Road, Queens Park

In January 2017, Housing & New Homes and Policy, Resources & Growth Committees agreed to lease a small, overgrown former garage site to a self-build housing co-operative to build two family homes for rent. The site has very long, narrow access and self-build seems the only viable way to bring the site into use for affordable rented homes.

Modular Pilots

Land and funding for new homes are in short supply, sites are often small and very challenging, but many more affordable rented homes are needed. So the council are also working with development partners to deliver affordable rented homes on former or underused garage sites using modular homes. These would be built in a factory and delivered by lorry, but be designed to last as long as traditionally built homes.

Eastergate Rd, Moulsecoomb

In June 2017, Housing & New Homes and Policy, Resources & Growth Committees agreed to lease a small, partly cleared council housing garage site next to the Housing Centre in Moulsecoomb to YMCA Downslink Group, to build modular Y:Cube homes for local single young people. The Homes & Communities Agency has allocated funding for this scheme. A consultation event on the initial plans was held in the Housing Centre for local residents and businesses in April 2017. YMCA Downslink, a charity based in Hove, will carry out further consultation after some more design work and before applying for  planning consent.

Patchdean, Patcham

Proposals for four new modular homes on two of the four small underused council housing garage sites at Patchdean were presented to residents and local ward councillors at a consultation event in February 2017. The council would let and manage the new homes if this pilot gets approval. The architects have been investigating adjustments in light of residents’ feedback and the proposals are being further worked up before seeking committee approval.

Buckley Close, Hangleton

Designs for more modular homes are being worked up for the site of 51 empty council garages in Buckley Close, Hangleton which are no longer safe to use. A drop-in consultation event was held at Hangleton Community Centre in April 2017 for local residents to see the plans and give us their comments. The proposals are being further worked up before seeking committee approval.

Already completed

Preston Road, Brighton – two new council family wheelchair bungalows

The council rebuilt former temporary accommodation units in the grounds of two villas as two new three-bedroom wheelchair accessible bungalows with private gardens. Work started in January 2015 and finished at the end of July that year. Both the homes were let through Homemove at affordable rents to households who needed to move to a fully wheelchair accessible home.

Robert Lodge South , Whitehawk Road, Brighton – nine new council flats

The Robert Lodge South block of nine one-bedroom flats on the site of the former Manor Place Housing Office was completed on 7 March 2016. One is designed for a full time wheelchair user and the others for residents with other mobility issues. The council let all the flats through Homemove at affordable rents. The Chair of Housing & New Homes, Councillor Anne Meadows, opened the new scheme on 10 March 2016, thanking the Robert Lodge Resident Association Committee and residents for their support for the development and welcoming new tenants.

Aldwick Mews, Hangleton – four new family council houses

Four new three-bedroom family houses were completed on the former Hardwick Road garage site in August 2016, and let through Homemove at affordable rents.  One of the homes is fully wheelchair accessible.

Flint Close, Portslade – four new family council houses

Two two-bedroom and two three-bedroom family houses on the two former garage sites at Flint Close were completed in September 2016. All the homes were let through Homemove at affordable rents.

Darwell Court, Kemp Town – five new council homes

Less than 11 months after work started on site, three one-bedroom flats, a two-bedroom maisonette and a two-bedroom fully wheelchair accessible ground floor flat were completed on 14 July 2016. This small, cleared site had previously been used for car parking. All homes were let at affordable rents through Homemove.

Councillor Anne Meadows, Chair of Housing and New Homes, had visited the site to see the foundations work in late September 2015. Hear Cllr Meadow’s comments on the importance of making the best use of small infill sites to help meet the city’s housing needs.

Robert Lodge North, Manor Way – six new council flats

The six one and two-bedroom flats in the Robert North block were completed 11 days ahead of schedule and handed over on 5 December. Working with Robert Lodge Resident Association, a public art work was produced for the communal garden. Residents helped to plan new landscaping and trees in the communal garden, and they also have the opportunity to rent the newly installed stores for mobility scooters and cycles.

Pierre Close, Foredown Road, Portslade ​– four new council houses.

Four three-bedroom family houses were built on the former council housing garage site at Foredown Road and were completed on 6 December 2016. All the homes were let through Homemove

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