A Kent council’s plans to buy or build at least 400 new affordable rented homes by 2027 are on track, having reached the halfway mark in under a year.
So far, over 200 properties have now been secured, Thanet District Council says. When completed, these homes will be rented to local residents through the council’s housing register.
Under the plans first unveiled in July 2023, two new projects were identified that would provide the first 51 properties. This includes 41 homes at the Spitfire Green development at New Haine Road in Ramsgate.
Last month, the council reached a new milestone when it took ownership of 23 new homes for affordable rent at the Spitfire Green site. The new properties are a mix of houses and flats and have been built by Barratt David Wilson Kent.
The council is buying a further 18 homes at Spitfire Green, and says it expects the purchase to be completed within the next eighteen months.
Councillor Helen Whitehead, Thanet’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “This handover, and this milestone, marks an important step forward in our programme to deliver the new council homes desperately needed for our residents.
“We are tracking far ahead of our projected timeline for this programme and I’m delighted that we’re delivering faster than our initial plans indicated we would. Every home we bring onto the council’s books means that another family moves into secure and well-maintained housing.
“Housing is the very foundation of our community; when we provide the genuinely affordable housing residents need we know that we are providing far more than a roof and shelter; we are providing certain safety, security, and a solid base for residents and families to grow from in an often uncertain world.
“Our continual commitment to increasing the number of council homes available will relieve many of the pressures that residents currently face.”
William Walsh, managing director for Barratt David Wilson Kent, added: “We are committed to building high quality housing for a mix of tenures in Kent, and are particularly proud to expand our partnership with Thanet District Council. The agreement will deliver much needed housing for affordable rent in Ramsgate, meeting key local targets, and crucially providing much needed affordable housing to the community.
“Spitfire Green is our flagship scheme in Ramsgate, and we are continuing to invest in the local community through our ongoing commitments, including through our Section 106 commitment to support key local amenities, alongside creating much needed housing available to buy or rent affordably.”
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