Eastbourne housebuilding rate drops to lowest level in seven years

The borough delivered a total of 126 net additional dwellings over the monitoring year, down from 203 in 2016/17, a fall of 38 per cent.

Housing was delivered across 42 sites, however only six sites delivered more than five units.

This is according to Eastbourne Borough Council’s authority monitoring report.

The two largest sites contributed 13 dwellings each. These sites were the former magistrates court land on The Avenue which has been developed into a block of flats, and the 13 flats developed at Sumach Close.

The next largest development was 11 net additional units at 25 St Anne’s Road.

The number of new homes built in 2017/18 was the lowest figure for Eastbourne since 2010/11 when only 121 properties were completed.

Meanwhile just 14 affordable homes were delivered in 2017/18 way down on the 60 completed in 2016/17.

According to the AMR report: “Affordable housing delivery over recent years has been reliant on large sites as these are the only development where affordable housing can be secured.

“A total of 164 affordable housing units have been delivered in the past five years.”

Throughout the first two quarters of 2018/19 the borough has seen a net 41 new homes completed.

The borough’s current housing target is 240 homes a year, which has been achieved cumulatively up to 2015/16.

The Eastbourne core strategy local was plan was adopted in February 2013, but work on a new local plan is underway.