Progress made in £42 million project to tackle Essex housing shortage

A £42 million project to tackle the housing shortage in Essex has reached a major milestone during a brick-laying ceremony at a key development site.

Sue Lissimore, the cabinet member responsible for housing, cemented the landmark bricks into place as work on 32 new homes in Goldlay Gardens, Chelmsford, progressed after groundworks were completed.

The council’s former library storage warehouse has been knocked down to make way for three blocks of apartments, all with balconies or terraces, solar panels and car parking.

It is the first site to be developed by Essex Housing, a new in-house team working with public sector partners.

Essex Housing has planning permission to build 156 properties countrywide and has submitted applications for another 179 homes.

Essex County Council pledged to spend £42 million by 2019/2020 to build more homes. It came ahead of the launch of the government’s housing strategy earlier this year, which described the current housing market as ‘broken’.

In Essex County Council’s boundaries, 136,000 new homes are needed over the next 20 years. When Southend and Thurrock are included, the figure rises to 180,000.

Rose Builders Ltd has been chosen to develop the Goldlay Gardens site, which is the first of several projects planned.

There are also approved plans to build 60 Independent Living properties at a vacant site in Hillhouse, Waltham Abbey, while 60 homes are planned at a former NHS site in Coppins Court, Tendring.

Lissimore said: “I’m delighted to lay these bricks at Goldlay Gardens because it represents a real landmark in our drive to build the homes which the people of Essex need and deserve.

“Speeding up housing growth is vital to driving economic growth, but more importantly to ensure Essex is a great place to live, work and grow up, and so future generations can get a foot on the property ladder.”