Council agrees to spend £1.3m on affordable homes to meet need

Council chiefs have agreed to buy 12 affordable new-build homes from developers at a total cost of more than £1.3million to meet housing need in the area.
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Members of Bolsover Council’s executive have approved the purchase of six two-bedroomed properties on Alfreton Road, Pinxton, as well as six three-bedroomed houses on Mooracre Lane, Bolsover.

While admitting the quality of housing from private developers is not generally as high as council-built homes, members agreed they did represent good value for money.

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Coun Sandra Peake, member for housing, regarding the Pinxton homes, said: “Our houses are better built, but it is the opportunity to buy these properties for £552,000, which equates to about £92,000 per property, so that’s not too bad really, it’s quite good.”

Alfreton Road, Pinxton.Alfreton Road, Pinxton.
Alfreton Road, Pinxton.

Grant Galloway , council executive director of strategy and development, said: “They’re not inferior in relation to the quality they are built, but are in relation to the size of the rooms and the features put into them.

“Although they’re not the same, they’re not as expansive, they’re still very lettable.”

Coun Liz Smyth said: “It’s important we build our own homes, but this is just another way we can add to our portfolio of affordable houses to rent, which are desperately needed.”

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Coun Mary Dooley questioned why the affordable homes being purchased in Pinxton were all two-bedroomed, when she knew a number of people who needed three-bedroomed properties.

Mr Galloway said as part of the planning process the housing department would have looked at the housing need to ensure the affordable properties being delivered were in line with what was required.

The Bolsover homes are being purchased from developer Keepmoat Homes Limited for £770,000 and the authority estimates if the houses are leased in line with affordable rent, which is 80 per cent of market rate, the scheme will break even after 48 years.

The Pinxton homes are being bought from Gleeson Homes Limited for £552,000 and with affordable rent are expected to break even after 28 years.

Both purchase sums exclude fees and stamp duty.

The full council will vote on whether the finance for the purchases should come out of the housing revenue account’s capital programme 2022/23 in a meeting this week.