DDC Builds Back Better with 24 New Interim Homes

Plans have been approved for a £3m project to build 24 affordable homes designed to offer interim accommodation for local people who find themselves temporarily homeless.

The plans include 8 one-bedroom flats at Stockdale Gardens in Deal, and 16 studio flats at Kimberley Close in Dover. Both brownfield sites are owned by Dover District Council.

The project forms part of the Council’s commitment to develop its own interim housing to reduce the reliance on B&B accommodation which is a significant cost to the Council.

The new developments will be welcomed by those who need a short-term place to stay before a more permanent solution to their housing needs can be found.

The developments include a range of ancillary communal facilities, including laundry rooms, cycle racks, car parking, and refuse and recycling storage.

Working with Dover District Council are Pellings (architectural services), Gen² (project manager), and Gleeds (quantity surveyor). DDC is currently tendering for local builders, with construction expected to be complete by the end of 2021.

Cllr Derek Murphy, cabinet member for housing, said: “We’re determined to continue to invest in our housing stock and to provide practical solutions to the challenge of homelessness.

“These new homes provide an affordable solution that enables us to help local people who find themselves unexpectedly homeless with somewhere comfortable to stay whilst a permanent home is found for them.”

Dover District Council has an ambitious programme to build up to 500 new affordable homes across the district.

Development projects currently underway include 65 new homes at William Muge and Snelgrove, eight units at Folkestone Road in Dover, and planning permission for 26 new homes at Napchester Road in Whitfield.