Five family homes are now set to be saved, giving local families an appropriate and affordable place to call home.
Plans to renovate five long-term empty family homes and return them to social rent were agreed at Horsham District Council’s full Council meeting on 7 October.
The three-bedroom properties in Ashurst, Billingshurst and Pulborough need significant repairs and improvements before families can move into them.
The proposed work will renovate the homes, improve their energy efficiency and make them available to eligible families on the Council’s Housing Register.
Once the work is complete the Council would retain nomination rights, meaning the properties would continue to be offered to eligible local households on the Housing Register whenever they become available in the future.
Cllr Belinda Walters, Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said: “These homes have been empty for a while and bringing them back into use would give five local families the chance to settle into a safe and secure home.
Three-bedroom homes for social rent are in short supply, so saving these properties would make a real difference to families waiting for a home that meets their needs.”
Saxon Weald Chief Executive, Corinna Bishopp, commented: “We are grateful to Horsham District Council for its commitment to preserving much-needed affordable homes in the Horsham District.
“By working in partnership, we can bring these homes back into use, providing a safe and secure place to live for five households who might otherwise struggle to find suitable local housing.
“We would like to thank the Council for recognising the value of these homes and helping ensure that more local families can build their future in the communities they call home.”
The Council will now support its partner Saxon Weald to renovate and retrofit the properties.
Without the Council contributing to the cost of these works as a result of Section 106 money, the properties would be sold on the open market, permanently removing five much-needed family homes from the District’s social rented housing supply.