Portsmouth's council could spend £670,000 on providing one family a new home

On Monday Portsmouth City Council's housing boss, Cllr Darren Sanders, will have to decide whether to give the green light to the scheme that will total £670,000.

Council officers have proposed that the authority should buy the family's existing home for £240,000 and refurbish it. The home would then be rented out.

Details of the case are not available to the public due to the exceptional needs of the family. The affected area is listed on council papers as Paulsgrove.

Cllr Sanders said: 'We would not be looking at this unless the need is demonstrable.

'I would only ask for this to go forward if the need was incredibly clear.

'If a new house was to be built it would mean that the council could have a property back one day that we could use again.'

Both properties would be classed as adapted and would not be subject to right to buy. Therefore at the end of the tenancy they could be rented out or sold by the council.