Providing you with good quality modern homes is our top priority.
That’s why since 2015 we have spent millions of pounds on housing, including new council properties and refurbishing or building new Independent Living Scheme (ILS). And this investment is set to continue.
In 2015, we started in earnest to build new council properties again through the B@Home scheme. More than 100 properties ranging from flats, bungalows and family homes were built to help address local need in Creswell, Bolsover, Blackwell, Shirebrook and Tibshelf.
And we have continued this trend by committing £36million to our new Bolsover Homes project that will see up to 400 new council properties being built by our Dragonfly Development Ltd company.
The latest boom in construction of new council properties has also been seen in areas like Whitwell, with 37 homes built, Whaley Thorns now has 24 new properties with more on the way. And Pinxton is due to get 11 more properties on Park Lane.
Cabinet member for housing, Councillor Sandra Peake said: “We have spent, or have committed, upward of £70million since 2015 and we don’t intend to stop there. Having a decent place to call home in a town or village you want to live in, is, in my opinion, a basic right.
“But with more people joining our housing register every day and a lack of housing to go round, the supply simply cannot match the demand. That’s why we are building more council properties, which will take time, but will be worth it in the long run.”
In addition to council properties, we have also invested in our sheltered accommodation or Independent Living Schemes as they are known.
Creswell’s Victoria House was the first to undergo a refurbishment, followed shortly afterwards by Parkfields in Clowne and Ashbourne Court in Shirebrook – where we have also extended the property by 14 units to help meet demand for the accommodation.
We are also in the midst of refurbishing Jubilee Court in Pinxton and Valley View in Hillstown, all of which provide the tenants with a fully refurbished flat, complete with wet rooms, new multi-sensor alarms and upgraded heating system, allowing residents independent control of their own heating and hot water systems.
The final Independent Living Scheme to receive investment is Woburn House in Blackwell. Work has started on the £9million development that has seen the old bungalows on Woburn Close demolished to make way for a brand new 20 self-contained flat Independent Living Scheme.
Once the ILS has been built, the existing tenants at Woburn House will be relocated into the new one and the building demolished to make way for a mix of 23 bungalows with a further two properties being built on nearby Pendean Close.
Council Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said: “We place great stock on looking after our vulnerable and older residents, that is why we are investing so much into our schemes. We want people to be able to live independently but have that reassurance that someone is there if needed.
“The demand for this type of accommodation is growing and our tenants deserve the best and that is what we are providing them with – a safe and warm place to live where they can remain close to their family and friends, not miles away.”
