First new council homes for 30 years set for letting

NEW council homes are now up for grabs for the first time in 30 years as builders near completion of 130 new houses and flats.

Tenants in Rotherham have the opportunity to apply for the first of the 127 new homes being built by Rotherham Borough Council on six sites across the borough.

The first to be let will be the 36 houses and apartments currently being completed on a site in Thrybergh by builders George Hurst and Sons.

The £2.3 million scheme at Wood Street will result in 28 two, three and four-bedroom houses as well as eight two-bedroom apartments.

Four and three-bed houses on Newland Avenue at Maltby, which will be ready at the same time, are also being advertised now.

The first tenants, who will enjoy properties built  above the typical open-market house building standards, will have to meet the criteria of the local lettings policy for new-build properties.

Anyone thinking of applying for one of the new council homes, should look out for the adverts via Key Choices, based in Rotherham's Old Town Hall, as well as at Customer Service Centres and Neighbourhood Offices and the internet.

Properties will be offered solely to existing Rotherham Council Tenant Transfer applicants who have made a request and who have held a council tenancy in Rotherham for the past two years.

They must also have a clear rent account and no housing management issues, such as anti-social behaviour, property damage or misuse.

A minmum of ten per cent of the new council homes will be let to applicants who are in paid work, while some of the new homes are for applicants with physical disabilities.

These will be allocated separately to Key Choices.

The Thrybergh properties will be the first to be completed.

Other properties expected to come available throughout the year include 29 at Albert Road, West Melton, 29 at Rother View, Canklow, 21 at Albany Road, Kilnhurst, eight at Newland Avenue, Maltby and four at Stone Park Close in Maltby.

The housing provision for disabled people is made up of five properties on Wood Street, one at Albert Road and two at Newlands Avenue.

On top of the 127 new homes currently in progress, the council has also just secured further funding of £224,500 for five more new council homes in Brinsworth.

The new properties, comprising two pairs of semi-detached houses and one detached house, will be built on a council-owned site at Whitehill Road.

This will bring the total number of new council homes that will be completed by the summer to 132.