First new council homes '˜in a generation' are finished in Gosport

Gosport Borough Council has finished all 16 of the homes, in St Vincent Road, with families now set to move in before Christmas.

Councillor Mark Hook, leader of the council, said: ‘This is an important moment for Gosport.

‘Funding and building these brand new, high-quality, energy-efficient family homes shows our commitment to providing good housing options for local people.

‘This is a vital part of what we do as a council.

‘We’re delighted that families will very soon be able to move into their brand new homes because of the success of this project.’

But Lib Dem Councillor Rob Hylands says this effort has come too little, too late.

He said: ‘We would have rather have seen more of these homes sooner.

‘But we have sold off so many of our council properties that so many of our youngsters and less well-off residents are being forced to rely on private renting, which is far more expensive.’

A total of 14 two-bedroom homes, fit for four people, and two three-bedroom, six-person homes have been allocated to people on the council’s housing register, which gives priority to those with the greatest housing need.

The homes were built by contractor Drew Smith Group on the site of 12 bungalows, which were part of a sheltered housing scheme for older people left empty after Agnew House was converted into a family centre in 2012.

Some of the red bricks from the bungalows have been saved for future projects, while the council has sought to maintain a rare native colony of mossy stonecrop.

Deputy leader Councillor Graham Burgess added: ‘Environmental factors, and particularly recycling, have been an important part of this scheme from the beginning.

‘The houses are all built to high environmental standards.’

For more information on the scheme, contact housing asset management officer Emma Vanson on 023 9254 5370 or email [email protected].

To speak to the council’s housing advice team call 023 9254 5476 or email [email protected]