Budget for new Adur council homes rises to £19.6m
The budget for new Adur council homes in Albion Street, Southwick, has risen to £19.6million, with repairs expected to be completed by summer 2027.
According to the council’s Albion Street project FAQ webpage, the original budget was just over £12.2million. The revised £19.6million budget includes a £3.2million increase approved by councillors in July 2026.
At Adur District Council’s full council meeting on Thursday, October 22, councillor Lee Cowen said £2million had been allocated from the Adur Homes 2026-27 capital budget to help the project progress. He said this comprised £1.3million for construction and £700,000 for capitalised interest.
The council’s project FAQ says the increased cost is being funded through its Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital budget, including £997,830 recovered through an insurance bond.
The council said there would be no direct impact on day-to-day council tax for Adur residents because the project is funded through HRA.
The completed development will provide 49 flats for local people on Adur’s housing register.
At the meeting, councillor Carol Albury questioned Cllr Cowen about the project and its expected completion date.
In response, Cllr Cowen said: “The report and the Joint Strategic Committee in July set out the delivery with Cheesmur and Sons to enable the project to progress using £2million from the Adur Homes 2026-27 capital budget.”
He said sealant had been applied to the brickwork, with progress made to clear materials from the site and a hoist was due to be installed.
He added that planning approval had been granted, allowing the next stages to proceed.
Cllr Cowen said scaffolding around the structural beams was scheduled for November 2026, followed by the removal of brick cladding in December. Cutting down and removing steel beams is planned for January 2027.
He added that further work, including construction of new masonry, was scheduled for February and March, with the installation of windows and doors and new balconies planned for April.
Cllr Cowen said: “So I guess you know we’re looking at somewhere in the summer for final delivery but of course with challenges around projects like this and we’ve seen it before there are a number of external factors that could influence those timescales.”
He warned that adverse weather, unknown structural conditions and material delivery times could affect the schedule but emphasised that the council wanted to get the project finished as soon as possible.