£720k grant for more social housing

A £720,000 grant has been secured to fund the building of 24 new homes for social rent in St Albans.

The money will help finance the redevelopment of Wavell House, Cell Barnes Lane, an empty sheltered accommodation block for the elderly that has reached the end of its life.

It will be demolished and replaced by 12 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom flats for the over-55s with 25 parking places.

The project is being managed by the block owners St Albans City and District Council which has obtained the £720,000 grant from Homes England.

Planning permission was agreed last month and the construction work is due to start later this year.

The new tenants will come from the Council’s housing register of local people with a confirmed housing need.

Councillor Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:

I am delighted that Homes England has agreed to provide this very substantial grant.

Wavell House was no longer fit for purpose and we have carefully considered our redevelopment options.  

By developing the block in this way, we are showing our strong commitment to meeting the demand from our community for affordable homes.

Carol Cairns, Homes England’s Head of Home Ownership and Supply for the South East, said:

This funding is an excellent example of our commitment to increase the supply of affordable homes, helping older people in the St Albans community through the delivery of high quality new homes.

The Council is redeveloping three other sheltered housing blocks in St Albans that are showing signs of age.

Linley Court, in Valley Road, is to be turned into 28 properties by Aldwyck Housing for social rent.

Betty Entwistle House, in Holyrood Crescent, has been demolished and transferred to housing association bpha which is building 40 homes for rent and shared ownership.

Mereden Court, in Tavistock Avenue, has also been earmarked for redevelopment.

In another initiative, the Council has a £5.7million scheme to turn six under-used garage blocks across the District into affordable homes.

Twenty-seven new homes have already been built with a further 25 in the Batchwood area due to be completed in March.

Work is also underway to construct 23 homes at Langley Gove and St Leonards Crescent, Sandridge.

Homes England, the successor to the Homes and Communities Agency, has been set up to help deliver much-needed new housing nationwide.

It was launched earlier this year and more information about its activities can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england

Councillor contact:
Councillor Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing for St Albans City and District Council.
Email: Cllr.B.Ellis@stalbans.gov.uk, Tel: 01727-866100

Councillor contact:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council.
E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk, Tel: 01727 296130