Tenants in condemned towers could get cash for deposits under council’s ‘alternative’ Right to Buy scheme
Tenants living in Brighton tower blocks due for demolition could get cash deposits to buy on the open market under the council’s plans for an “alternative” Right to Buy scheme.
Tenants in condemned towers could get cash for deposits under council's ‘alternative’ Right to Buy scheme #UKHousingBrighton & Hove City Council is currently consulting with residents on its plans to demolish eight Large Panel System (LPS) blocks, following its “in principle” decision to redevelop the buildings last summer.
As part of this, it is proposing a Homeownership Pact Scheme to support secure tenants who may have wanted to exercise their Right to Buy but would not have been able to get a mortgage due to the redevelopment plans.
Under the initiative, eligible tenants will be able to apply for grants at £40,000 for one-bedroom and £45,000 for two-bedroom properties.
The council said this would exceed the current maximum Right To Buy discount on offer and would make buying a home “genuinely achievable, whether that’s here in the city or elsewhere”.
According to the local authority, when someone moves into ownership through the pilot, their existing council home can be used again to reduce waiting lists and the need for “costly temporary accommodation”.
The council is proposing to allocate £400,000 to the trial, which would last for a year and enable up to 10 grants. The scheme is expected to go before the council’s cabinet for approval next month, and will then be reviewed and amended as required.
Gill Williams, Brighton & Hove’s cabinet member for housing, said: “The alternative Right to Buy pilot scheme is an exciting initiative, providing a welcome boost to those who’d like to get on the property ladder while allowing for a wider freedom in choosing a home that fits their needs and preferences.
“The scheme would also help to protect our supply of council housing and allow us to offer vacated council homes to other residents on a waiting list or in temporary accommodation.”
Brighton & Hove City Council decided last July to demolish eight blocks in three areas across the city, which together are home to around 550 households.
The buildings include Dudeney Lodge and Nettleton Court in Hollingdean; Falcon Court, Heron Court, Kestrel Court, Kingfisher Court and Swallow Court in north Whitehawk; and St James’s House in Kemptown.
The decision came after structural surveys carried out on the blocks in 2024 found that the buildings no longer meet current safety standards related to withstanding explosions or large fires.
The council initially explored an alternative option of carrying out strengthening works, but found this could only guarantee the buildings’ life for 20 years and would cost at least £115m.
Brighton’s LPS blocks were all built in the 1960s using the LPS construction method, which involves using precast concrete panels to form walls and floors and has been found to be vulnerable to collapse, particularly in a gas explosion.
Earlier this year, Inside Housing revealed there are 740 high-rise LPS blocks in total across England. More than 200 still have a gas supply and may not have had recommended strengthening works carried out.
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