Up to 20 new council houses will be built in South Holland over the next year and more will be added in years to come.
Work starts on Monday as Holbeach firm Langwith Builders begins constructing three two-bed terraced houses in Wright’s Lane, Sutton Bridge.
And Broadgate Homes, from Weston, will start work on four two-bed semi-detached homes at Coalbeach Lane, Surfleet on July 8.
These are the first homes to be built by South Holland District Council in six years although its own housing company, South Holland Homes, has been building small numbers of houses.
Council portfolio holder for housing Christine Lawton said: “Over the first year we’re building between 16 and 20 homes and we have plans to develop more each year after that as part of a rolling programme.”
She said the council is now able to keep much more of its income from rents to invest in improving its existing stock of around 3,890 homes and also to build more new homes.
Richard Scorthorne, the council’s housing landlord manager, said: “The initial impact on waiting lists of these developments may be small but we have to start somewhere.”
Broadgate Homes chief executive Ian Canham said: “Each of the schemes is small enough that it attracts only local builders to bid for them, which means the money is being recycled within the district, which is very clever.”
Langwith Builders managing director Miles Foden also welcomed the council’s move in awarding contracts to local businesses, helping to secure existing jobs in a difficult climate.