New homes tour for councillors

Councillors from Hastings Borough Council’s cross-party Housing Taskforce have joined council officers, including the head of housing, on a tour of three sites where new affordable homes are being built by Orbit Homes as they continue to invest in the borough.

The sites included Levett View on Harrow Lane, which is a direct build by Orbit Homes. The site was due to be progressed by Ilke Homes, but work came to a halt when Ilke Homes went into administration. Orbit Homes has invested in recovering the site and are set to deliver 140 new homes for the area. Half of these will be let at affordable rent (this will be capped at local housing allowance rates) to local people currently on the council’s housing register and half will be made available through shared ownership.                                                                                           

Shared ownership enables local households to get a foot on the property ladder by buying a ‘share’ in the property helping to keep monthly costs as low as possible.  The new homes have been designed to meet national space standards and will be energy efficient, which can lead to reduced energy consumption and lower utility bills for residents. The site also features a number of initiatives designed to enhance biodiversity and improve the new community’s wellbeing. These include the introduction of designated green spaces planted with shrubs and wildflowers that are insect friendly, bird boxes, and a sustainable drainage system with ponds.

The group also visited Porters Grove, the site of the former St Leonards Academy and the former Mt Pleasant Hospital site in Frederick Road. The initial phases have been completed at Porters Grove, and a total of 52 affordable homes will be provided here. 56 affordable homes will be provided at Frederick Road.

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, deputy leader and lead councillor for housing and community wellbeing, said: “It was fantastic to see the progress on all sites and also the commitment that Orbit is making to the town and helping us to meet our housing challenges. Councillors were also keen to discuss the plans for Clifton Court which all parties acknowledge has been empty for longer than anyone is comfortable with. Councillors and officers have had many conversations with Orbit, and plans for the site are well underway, with the aim of maximising the amount of affordable homes for rent which the site can create. We are hoping to see progress later next year.”

Brian Nearney, Regional Managing Director at Orbit Homes, added: “We were delighted to welcome Councillors from Hastings Borough Council’s cross-party Housing Taskforce to our forthcoming developments in Hastings. We are committed to building more, much needed quality, affordable and energy efficient homes in the region and look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Housing Taskforce to realise this.”