30-year plan for more council housing in Lewes district announced

Cabinet councillors that make up the Co-operative Alliance on Lewes District Council said this week they had made house building and community cohesion a top priority in their long-term plans for the Lewes district.

Councillor William Meyer, cabinet member for housing, said: “Government after government has failed to deliver on promises to get the UK building the volumes of new homes we need. Instead, we have increasing waiting lists and people living in temporary accommodation.

“Today we agreed a raft of measures and investment that will make affordable living a reality for local people, not only in terms of creating new homes, but also making major improvements in sustainability and by targeting the issues that most concern our tenants and residents.”

With 200 new council homes to be built in the next four years alone, the cabinet has agreed £500,000 for sustainability and decarbonisation work including, electric heating schemes, assessment of renewable heat initiatives and upgrades to existing solar water heating systems.

An additional £500,000 has been earmarked to focus work on anti-social behaviour, fuel poverty, social inclusion and neighbourhood improvements.

Increased support will also be given to people most affected by Universal Credit or suffering from reduced incomes.

Mr Meyer added: “Our increased investment in the current stock amounts to nearly £5million and integral to these major works is an entire stock survey to confirm the current condition of our properties.

“The new council Corporate Plan is titled ‘Re-imagining Lewes District’, and I hope it is clear that we are certainly re-imagining a much brighter and exciting future for our council housing.”