New council houses for Arun
On Monday 26 June, representatives from Arun District Council and Crayfern Homes Ltd attended a handover ceremony at the site of the first council houses to be built in Arun since 1989.
The council homes are newly built properties, located in Barnham as part of the Fox’s Furlong development and consist of six, two bedroom and three, three bedroom terraced houses with gardens and allocated parking spaces.
Built by Crayfern Homes Ltd as part of a planning obligation (section 106) to provide some affordable homes on their new private development, the homes will be let to people on the housing waiting list. The properties will be added to the Councils housing stock in order to replace some of the homes that have been sold under the Right to Buy agreement.
Arun District Council worked with Airey Miller, building consultants and quantity surveyors to manage the build contract. The Council acquired the homes at below market cost due to the planning restriction and is using income from Right to Buy sales and surplus funds from the Housing Revenue Account to provide these new council homes. They will be let at social rents.
Cllr Trevor Bence, Cabinet member for Residential Services said “These are the first council houses to be built in Arun in 28 years and I am delighted that they are now complete and ready to become homes for Arun residents.
“These properties are built to a very high standard. The excellent thermal insulation and use of innovative air source heat pumps, will provide hot water and heating in an efficient eco-friendly way.
“Many local suppliers and over 20 local people were employed in the construction of the houses which also provided employment experience for 4 apprentices.”