Decision

Housing and Wellbeing Committee on 23 June 2026 - Minute Number 53.

To authorise purchase of 3 x 2 bed houses at XXXX XXXX, XXXX built by Persimmons and 5 x 2 bed houses at XXXX XXXX, XXXX built by Taylor Wimpey for Temporary Social Housing and Refugee Housing.

List of properties:
Developer: TW, Plot: XXX,XXX,XXX,XXX, Size sq ft: 873, Price average: 322,375
Developer: TW, Plot: XXX, Size sq ft: 755, Price average: 315,000
Developer: Persimmons, Plot: XXX,XXX, Size sq ft: 863, Price average: 315,000
Developer: Persimmons, Plot: XXX, Size sq ft: 730, Price average: 275,000
Total: 2,509,500

Reasons for the decision

An early commitment to purchase 8 of the
16 x 2 bed houses available for sale within ADC area is essential to ensure we can comply with the LAHF4 grant obligations to purchase 11 x 2 bed houses in 2026/27. Taylor Wimpey and Persimmons are actively marketing their houses and these could be sold at any time until ADC commit to purchase.
TW houses will be completed August to October 26 and Persimmons December 26.

Finance – H&W Committee report states maximum acquisition cost of £7.465m with eight two beds at a maximum cost of £357,700 each, total £2,861,600 (evidenced on the financial appraisal).
Purchase of the properties above results in an overall saving of £352,100.

The price listed above is the maximum we would pay, it is subject to valuation and negotiation.
The LAHF4 programme for this year also includes purchase of an additional 3x2 beds 1 x 3bed and 2 x 4bed houses this will be the subject of a later approval request.

Alternative options considered

The availability of new two bed houses for sale within the ADC district within the financial year 26/27 was researched and developers contacted. The result was 16 x 2 bed houses were identified that are within budget and available for Arun to purchase, subject to valuation and contract. The five rejected, at this point, are those built by Bellways as they are the smallest properties with higher additional costs to provide the extras ADC require.