£1m spend on housing and homeless project planned by Chichester council
Chichester District Council plans to use £1m for a number of projects in its Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-30.
The use of the money – which has already been reserved for the Strategy – was recommended during a meeting of the council on Tuesday (September 1) and will be put to the full council for approval later this month.
If all goes to plan, £300,000 will go towards the setting up of Pinewood House, in Answorth Close, for use as short-term housing for 51 homeless people.
Another £100,000 in both 2026/27 and 2027/28 will be used to top up the homelessness prevention fund. And £126,000 will be used in both years to support residents in the private sector with improvements to reduce carbon emissions and improve Energy Performance Certificates. This will be on top of £138,000 already spent from the reserve in 2025/26.
Money will also go towards road shows to raise awareness of housing matters across the district, and initiatives for tenants in temporary accommodation.
The council has seen a sharp rise in the need for temporary housing for individuals, couples and families. It’s very much a nationwide trend driven by pressures such asthe cost‑of‑living crisis.
In it’s annual report, published in July, the council stated that 91 households were in nightly paid temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfast.
Leader Adrian Moss acknowledged the work of the council’s housing team ‘in really difficult times’, adding ‘this is yet another strength to our armour’.