Portsmouth tenants look forward to moving into council homes

Portsmouth City Council has spent millions of pounds on new council houses throughout the city and in Havant.

The housing programme has seen 204 council houses built over the four-year scheme.

One of the new developments is off the Eastern Road, near Portsmouth College, and is made up of 12 supported living flats. It cost £2.1m.

Tenant Mark Tickner is looking forward to having a place of his own.

Formerly the 43-year-old was part of the council’s Shared Living scheme which saw him live with other people in a property in North End.

Mark said: ‘My life has changed since I first joined the Shared Living scheme and now I am more independent.

‘This new development works for me because I have my own flat but still have the support I need.

‘It was right for me to move on and have my own place.

‘I cannot wait to move in, it is going to be lovely and cosy.’

The Eastern Road development is one of five live projects Portsmouth City Council is currently undertaking.

One of the biggest is the £8.1m Ivy Close scheme in the city centre. When finished it will have nine houses and 51 flats ranging from one-bedroom to four-bedrooms.

As part of its council house plan, the local authority has completed nine other housing projects.

Tory council leader Donna Jones said: ‘We are building more council houses at the moment than any other council outside London.

‘One of the houses at Ivy Close is for a veteran and his young family, it has a lift and is for a family of five so we are building houses to meet people’s individual needs.

‘For the Eastern Road development we used council teams to demolish it, council architects and council landscapers.

‘It is great to have met Mark and see what a difference this building will make to people like him.’