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Council to build seven more homes

Seven more homes are to be built by Castle Point Borough Council as part of its commitment to increasing its housing stock to address local need.

The proposed detailed investigation and submission of planning applications was approved by the Council’s Cabinet at its October meeting.

The seven properties are estimated to represent a future £2.18m investment in the provision of homes for those unable to access properties in the current housing market. They are in addition to the nine homes already in development and due for completion in December 2023 by the Council.

The houses will largely be built on the sites of disused garages, in accordance with the Council’s aim of reusing land which has previously been developed rather than green field sites.

The proposals are to develop:

  • Three 1 bedroomed homes at a former Garage site in Linden Way, Canvey Island.
  • Two 3 bedroomed homes at a former Garage site in Benderloch, Canvey Island.
  • Two 2 bedroom homes on a former garage site at Carlton Drive, Benfleet.

All the three schemes will have the same high environmental credentials as the properties already being built by the Council.

They will be highly insulated to minimise energy consumption and use air source heat pumps with underfloor heating rather than conventional gas or electric boilers. Solar panels will feed electricity to the properties and each property will have a dedicated Electric Vehicle charging point in one of their parking spaces.

The developments will be funded through a variety of sources, including from the proceeds of past sales of Council owned housing under the Government’s Right To Buy Scheme. Currently the Borough has 470 households on the housing needs waiting list of which more than half are in priority need due to homelessness, overcrowding or unsuitable existing accommodation.

Cllr Carole Sach, Cabinet Member for People, Health, Wellbeing & Housing, said: “This is the second major investment by Castle Point Borough Council in recent years to increase our housing stock.

“We are doing everything we can to reduce the number of people waiting for housing in the borough and ensure individuals and families have access to the right kind of permanent accommodation.”

More potential development sites are under review as the Council looks to increase its housing stock by using the councils existing assets to deliver homes in the coming years.