Will Southwick Still Get 49 New Council Homes After Contractor Went Into Administration?

Monday, 1 January 2024 06:00

By John Warburton @Warblefly

The development on Albion Street, Southwick (Photo: © 2023 Google Earth)

Adur District Council says it has signed a deal to ensure the completion of its Albion Street development of new council homes.

In September, according to local authority officials, contractor Westridge Construction went into administration as it was approaching the final stages of building the council’s 49 new homes in Southwick.

Now the council has signed a contract with Sussex-based building firm Cheesmur to pick up where Westridge left off.

Work began at Albion Street in 2021 but stopped when Westridge collapsed.

Cheesmur has now taken control of the site and expects to complete the new homes by summer 2024.

Cllr Carson Albury, Adur’s cabinet member for Adur Homes and customer services, said:

"We urgently need more homes for local families.

"Getting the Albion Street development completed will mean dozens of our residents will have better places to live and better lives from 2024.

"We’ve worked with Cheesmur on other projects and we’re delighted that they will drive forward with this development to create these extra council homes over the next few months."

A total of 25 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom flats are being built, all of which will go to people on the council’s housing list.

The council said there are more than 900 households on Adur’s housing register, including many who are currently having to be housed by the council outside the district.

The new flats are intended to allow families to be brought back to Adur to be closer to their jobs, their children’s schools and their friends and families.

The council will provide updates on the development via adur-worthing.gov.uk and on the council’s Facebook page.