Bexhill charity's plans to provide affordable housing

Cemetery Lodge, Bexhill SUS-181031-151657001

Bexhill Heritage has come out in support of Rother District Council’s proposal to help the homeless.

Pledging its full support for more affordable housing in the town, the charity has come up with a plan to convert one of Bexhill’s finest Edwardian houses – Cemetery Lodge in St Mary’s Lane – into three attractive homes.

“We’re keen to preserve Bexhill’s heritage buildings,” says Raymond Konyn, the charity’s chairman, “but it’s important that these fine buildings are put to good use for the benefit of the community.

“Our own recent professional survey shows that, even after years of neglect, Cemetery Lodge is structurally sound.

“It can be ‘made good’ and converted quite easily into three much-needed affordable homes.

“There’s even scope for three additional homes in its large overgrown garden.”

Bexhill Heritage’s recommendations will be considered by Rother District Council’s Cabinet next Monday, alongside a proposal to demolish the Lodge.

Bexhill Heritage is asking the Cabinet to defer their decision to allow the council time to meet with the charity’s professional consultants.

Raymond added: “It would be a huge mistake to demolish one of Bexhill’s finest Edwardian buildings.

“We’ve the opportunity to respect our heritage while, at the same time, extending our housing stock. Giving the Lodge a new lease of life makes such good sense.”

Full details of the Rother Executive Director’s report to the Cabinet can be found on the Rother District Council website under the Cabinet agenda for Monday, November 5, 2018.

Last week, the Observer reported on the council’s plans to provide more affordable housing in a bid to tackle a growing homelessness problem.

The draft housing and homelessness strategy included compulsorily purchasing ‘stalled’ development sites, setting up a social lettings agency to boost availability of affordable homes, creating a street homelessness ‘hub’ in Bexhill and offering incentives to owners to bring vacant properties back into use.

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