Latest news with #councilhomes
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
New council homes approved on former sea cadet site in Caterham
New council homes have been approved at a former Surrey sea cadet site.A planning application to demolish the existing buildings and replace them with 16 houses, each with a back garden, was approved by Tandridge District planned development at The Grove and Hawarden Road in Caterham, which currently includes a former barracks, will have 35 car parking were green-lit on Thursday, with proposals for more social housing supported, but both councillors and residents were frustrated with the design. Marilyn Payne MBE argued at the meeting that plans were "akin to inner city development rather than on the edge of the green belt". She said the homes were too cramped together in the plot, according to the Local Democracy Reporting small, north-facing gardens would not be big enough for children to play in and would not get any sunshine, she Jeremy Pursehouse said there were 44 families living in B&Bs on the council's urgent need said they wouldn't "care about the size of the back garden, they want to be out of there". The council bought the land from the Ministry of Defence in 2023. Planning documents said the proposed new builds would look "contemporary and minimal" to reflect the residential area and the previous army the homes will be kept by the council and rented to families on its housing list. The development includes 10 three-bedroom homes, five two-bedroom houses, and a wheelchair accessible one-bedroom home.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Sinn Féin calls for vacant council houses to be made available within 12 weeks
Sinn Féin has called for local authorities to be given powers that would see council homes made available to move into within 12 weeks of becoming vacant. New figures show that at least one in every four boarded up council home has been empty for longer than 12 months. Advertisement The figures released to Sinn Féin's Thomas Gould show that 38 per cent of those vacant longer than 12 months have been empty for more than two years. Over 750 council homes across the state have been boarded up for over a year. This is shameful. We must fight back together against FF & FG, demand investment in our communities, and ensure everyone has a safe, secure & affordable place to call home. — Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) June 6, 2025 There are currently more than 750 council homes across Ireland which have been boarded up for more than a year. Mr Gould, the party's spokesman on Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Planning, Public Realm and Local Government, said there are thousands of homes that have been boarded up for three to four years, with some homes lying empty for eight years. Limerick, Wicklow, Tipperary and Louth have council homes boarded up for the longest time periods, while Donegal, Cork City and Limerick have the highest levels of vacant stock. Advertisement Mr Gould said the average re-letting times vary across the state. 'Why are local authorities boarding up houses? When a family moves out, (and) if that house is (in) a decent condition, let's put a family straight in. Let's not board it up. Let's put people in there. 'Instead, it's being boarded up, waiting for the Department of Housing to give money in 12 months' time, and then taking another six months for procurement to do it up. 'We want to get every house returned within 12 weeks. We think 12 gives time for local authorities to repair the house and get them out again. Advertisement 'Local authorities are only getting 11,000 euros for each unit to be turned around, when the average cost last year was 28,000.' He added: 'This is a scandal when we're in the middle of the worst housing crisis in the history of the state, and what we are trying to do is bring forward solutions. 'This in itself won't solve the housing crisis, but what it would do, is could release thousands of homes that would help to house people who are homeless, but also take people out of the rental market. 'So this will have a domino positive effect from homeless services to social housing to rent. Advertisement '(We) want local authorities, rather than waiting for the department to give sanctions, that local authorities would be able to work returning homes all year long, and not just waiting for once or twice a year for the government to give sanctions.' He called for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to bring in a 'proper procedure' to address long-term vacant homes. Mr Gould said boarded-up houses have 'devastating effects' on communities. 'Families are coming out every day and looking at them, they're magnets for anti social-behaviour, the magnets for dumping,' he added. Advertisement Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs spent almost €1.4m o... Read More 'They just drag down the whole environment of really good communities, and it's about time now the Government stepped up. 'We are bringing forward a solution. We hope the Government will take it on board, because we think it makes sense.' The Department of Housing has been contacted for comment.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
New Bilston council homes ready for tenants to move in
Eleven newbuild council homes have been completed and are ready for tenants to move in at a formerly empty site in Ettingshall Road development in Bilston consists of seven two-bedroom houses, two three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom began in September and the site was handed over to the council by the developer this council said the properties were built using sustainable methods and brought land back into use which had been blighted by fly-tipping. They each come with solar panels and are gas-free, the authority said work was also beginning or set to start in the coming months on 81 additional properties across six city Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council leader, said there was a growing demand for housing."This is a great example of how we are delivering good quality homes at pace and bringing small disused sites back into use," he said the properties would be allocated to local people according to the council's housing policy."This development also builds substantially on the investment already made in Bilston in recent years that is seeing the town flourish," he Partnerships managing director Tom Broadway said transforming sites like Ettingshall Road was important for local pride, and the energy-efficient homes would reduce bills and "make life more comfortable" for residents. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
New homes plan for site in Clowne shelved
Plans to build council homes on a plot of land in Clowne have been District Council says the site, off Rood Lane, will be removed from its new homes programme due to the complexities around building at the the authority will explore using the land as a sports pitch or nature area."We have looked at the options available for this site and we feel it is in the best interests of the council and the local area to remove it from our Bolsover Homes building programme," said council leader Jane Yates. "We will now look to use this land for either Biodiversity Net Gain or leisure purposes that will benefit the local community, with a further report being submitted for our consideration."
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Work under way for 'much-needed' council homes in Bedworth
Construction work is under way for "much-needed" council homes, a local authority has development will see 23 new properties built in Bedworth as part of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council's "ongoing commitment" to provide more council homes for plans include one, two, three and four-bedroom homes, which are being built across two sites at Armson Road and Cheveral Chris Watkins said the authority was confident the development would "make a real difference to those in need". The work, which is being carried out by Harper Group, started at the end of for Cheveral Road include eight properties, four one-bed flats and four two-bedroom houses, with the other 15 homes being built in Armson added that the development would also contribute to the growth of the town's council hopes to complete the work in Cheveral Road by February, and in Armson Road by April. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
