Contractor Westridge Construction went into administration in September as it was approaching the final stages of building 49 homes in Albion Street in Southwick.
Adur District Council was forced to consider several options to see the build completed including working with another building contractor who would be able to pick up the work quickly, organising a managing contractor who would manage the final pieces of delivery or adopting the last stages of development management itself.
It has now signed a contract with Lewes-based building firm Cheesmur Sussex Building Contractors to pick up where Westridge left off.
The council previously said none of the alternative options would increase the cost of the project because of insurance put in place before work began, in the form of a performance bond.
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 homes by summer 2024.
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.
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 council said the new flats will allow families to be brought back to Adur to be closer to their jobs, their children’s schools and their friends and families.
Councillor 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.”
Source link
[Featured]
[Just In]
