Council Gives Land To Deliver New Affordable Homes For Colchester

The Council has approved a housing association to build new affordable homes at five locations across the borough.

Estuary Housing Association has been chosen as the preferred registered provider to redevelop five garage sites subject to the Council's call-in process.  This will enable the building of much needed affordable rented homes for Colchester residents in housing need.

The decision follows agreement in 2009 that the Council would assess which of its garage sites were most suitable for redevelopment to provide much needed affordable housing in the borough.  With two pilot schemes underway, further sites were identified.  Registered providers with homes in Colchester and who the Council had already worked with were invited to bid to build the new affordable homes with Estuary being selected.

Estuary will keep residents living near the sites informed and provide them with opportunities to comment as the plans are developed.  They will also work with Colchester Borough Homes which manages the Council's housing around the five sites. 

Estuary will submit planning applications to build the affordable housing at the five sites: Affleck Road, Rosalind Close, Swan Grove (Chappel), Eldred Avenue and Stalin Road.  Each will be transferred from the Council to Estuary if permission is given.  Once built the homes will be owned and managed by Estuary which currently manages 283 homes in Colchester.

Colchester Borough Council's Housing and Community Safety Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tim Young said: "With over 6,000 households on the Housing Needs Register seeking affordable housing the Council is looking at how it can help deliver more homes for rent.  Giving our land to Estuary Housing Association will help deliver these affordable homes in Colchester at a time when they are desperately needed."

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Notes to editors

For information contact:

Communications on communications@colchester.gov.uk or 07815 088150  

For comment or opinion contact:

Colchester Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Safety, Councillor Tim Young, 07949 066915