First Phase of Council House Building Drive Completed

February 27, 2017 by Leigh-on-Sea.com

The first phase of a major new council house building drive in Southend-on-Sea has been completed, with more in the pipeline over the next 18 months.

Five new flats in Ashanti Close, Shoeburyness have been handed over to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, making 18 in total as part of the overall £2.8m project which has been completed in just under one year.

The flats, which consist of two wheelchair accessible flats and three general needs flats will be let via the Council’s Choice Based Lettings (CBL) system, and via the nominations panel in the case of the wheelchair accessible dwellings.

The properties have been built by DCB (Kent) Ltd for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and have been built to Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) space standards, and to Lifetime Homes specification.

This project, which also includes new homes in Exeter Close and Bulwark Road has utilised Essex based architects, AK Design, and Clerk of Works, Qualitas as well as Pellings LLP as the employment agent.

Cllr Mark Flewitt, Executive Councillor for Housing, says: “We are delighted to see the final homes built as part of this project handed over on time and on budget, and ready for new tenants to move in.

“The site of these new flats was a former underused garage site that was subject to severe antisocial behaviour including a large fire two years ago, but now accommodates five modern flats including two ground floor wheelchair accessible properties that will help address the waiting list for adapted properties within the Borough.

“The project really demonstrates the potential to better utilise Council owned land, whilst also addressing the shortfall of affordable housing within the Borough.

“It is also important that the Council continues to identify opportunities to develop affordable housing, and to increase the Council’s housing stock and we intend to do just that with a further announcement expected soon on a new site that subject to the necessary approvals, will deliver up to 16 new homes over the next 18 months.”

The first new council house to be built in over twenty five years was completed in Byron Avenue as a pilot project in January 2015, with construction of 18 more in Shoeburyness starting in March 2016.