Right to Buy funds to be used for new council homes for Adur residents

Released: Tuesday, 03 October 2023

Funds from the sale of former council houses to tenants could be used to build 16 new council homes on run-down garage sites in Lancing.

We're replacing old garage compounds and under-used car parks with extra council homes that families in the district need in Sompting, Lancing, Shoreham, Southwick and Fishersgate.

The latest sites to be brought forward for development are the council-owned garage compounds in Daniel Close and Gravelly Crescent on Lancing's Mash Barn estate.

Our Joint Strategic Sub-Committee has approved the use of more than £1.8m of income from council house sales - known as Right to Buy receipts - for the construction of 16 new homes on the sites.

The money is ring-fenced, meaning it's specifically set aside for securing new, affordable homes in Adur and may allow the development to be completed at no net cost to the council.

A total of nine new homes will be built on the Daniel Close site, while seven new homes will be built at Gravelly Crescent. Every home will have its own private outdoor area and a parking space with EV charging.

The developments are part of our small sites programme, which aims to transform under-utilised council-owned sites to provide homes for local people. The first five of these projects are expected to be completed within the next six months.

There are currently around 900 people on the council's housing waiting list, of whom around 100 are being housed in temporary accommodation.

Cllr Carson Albury, Adur's cabinet member for Adur Homes and customer services, said:

“Delivering genuinely affordable homes for our local community is a top priority, and the small sites project is helping us push forward to meet our affordable housing targets.

“By making use of under-used council sites we can meet these targets in a way that's sustainable and cost effective, preserving our green spaces whilst ensuring our housing stock can expand to meet local demand.”