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Welsh Government Innovative Housing Programme – Land at St Andrews Church, Garden City

Published: 17/01/2019

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve Housing Revenue Account borrowing of £1.099m to fund the balance of a Welsh Government Innovative Housing Programme (IHP) in Garden City, Queensferry.

Welsh Government has awarded a £1.1m capital grant through IHP to build 12 new apartments on land at St Andrews Church, Garden City.  The projected cost is £2.199m, and Cabinet will be asked to approve the balance (£1,099m) with funding being made available through Housing Revenue Account borrowing.

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said:

“This new and exciting development will form part of the Council’s Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) and marks a new way of developing affordable homes for the Council using modern methods of construction to reduce construction time and cost. It will bring the total number of properties completed or approved by Cabinet, and delivered by SHARP, to 305. 

“There will be 12 apartments – 4 one bed and 8 two bed – all with their own front door and the scheme will also help address a number of housing issues facing the Council. By testing out these new construction methods, the Council, in conjunction with Welsh Government, is seeking to develop new housing much more quickly and more innovatively than before.”

The Council has established a Work Place Project, a partnership between Flintshire County Council Housing Solutions, Communities for Work and Job Centre Plus. The project aims to provide housing linked to support and employment for people who are currently subject to a homeless duty. Through the Project, an experienced mentor will be assigned specifically to support clients through the process ensuring that the client is on a work programme and pathway tailored to that individual.

Councillor Attridge continued:

“This is a really innovative way of working – not just building homes but supporting people into employment - and we plan to start on site at the beginning of April this year, once all approvals are in place.”