Plans to invest £260m in council housing over next five years
Leaders of Gateshead Council are set to invest £260 million into their housing services over the next five years.
This funding will be allocated to enhance existing residences and support the construction of over 400 new council homes by 2030.
The initiative will also involve the demolition of outdated buildings, such as Redheugh Court and Eslington Court, which are no longer viable.
Furthermore, the annual budget for the routine maintenance of the council’s 18,000 homes will rise to £35 million, an increase of £10 million compared to four years ago, when the council resumed direct management of its properties from The Gateshead Housing Company.
The funding is sourced from the Housing Revenue Account budget, and a report detailing these recommendations is scheduled for approval by the Cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday, February 18.
This report outlines a financial strategy for council housing over the next five years, emphasizing the need to prioritize investment in the homes that require it the most.
Additionally, it lays out plans for the construction of hundreds of new homes in response to the urgent need for social housing.
This initiative aligns with a national effort to boost the number of council homes built across the UK and represents a crucial step toward achieving the government’s ambitious housing targets for the borough.
Gateshead’s social housing will also see benefits from an annual improvement program that includes updates to bathrooms, central heating systems, kitchens, roofs, windows, doors, and other essential maintenance tasks.
Gateshead Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Chris Buckley said:
“Every tenant has a right to a decent and safe home. We recognise this as a priority which is why we are planning to use this funding to invest in the maintenance and improvement of council-owned homes.
“Our tenants deserve the best we can afford, and we are determined to get schemes in place that deal with the issues which some of our tenants are currently facing.
Our strategy makes clear that some of our properties are not in an acceptable condition and sets out how we’re looking to address this over the next five years.
“We have a long-term plan to prioritise making our homes decent and investing in our homes in both our housing stock as well as our high-rise blocks.”
The investment plans include:
- £78m spent on replacing kitchens, modernising bathrooms, upgrading electrics and replacing windows and doors.
- £41m spent on reducing fuel bills by investment in new green technology and insulation measures, as well as replacing less efficient heating systems
- £8m will be spent on common areas, improved door entry systems and new CCTV to keep people safe and secure
- £4m will be spent on fire safety measures and replacing lifts
- £10m will be spent on removing poor quality garages and in improving open space
- £67m will be spent on building and acquiring over 400 new council homes
- £10m will be spent on adaptations to ensure people can continue to live independently at home
- £28m will be spent on the demolition buildings that are no longer viable or sustainable and regenerating vacant sites.
Joseline Nenzou, council tenant member of the Strategic Housing Board, said: “We welcome the council’s plans to invest in our homes.
“It is long overdue, and we are keen that these changes begin as soon as possible, once the plans are agreed. We understand the pressures the council is under financially, but people’s homes must be habitable, and we are pleased this has been recognised by Gateshead Council.”
The Cabinet report can be found here on their wesbite.