EFFORTS to tackle homelessness in Swansea are continuing, following the completion of a new set of council-owned flats.
Swansea Council has transformed an ageing former district housing office in the Penlan community into six modern one and two bedroomed accommodation.
The latest work is part of the Council’s ongoing efforts to increase its housing stock for single people and families as well as make use of former council-owned buildings that are no longer in use.
The site of the former Penlan DHO now boasts five two-bedroom flats and a one-bedroom flat, over three floors. They all benefit from modern features with new kitchens, bathrooms and spacious living areas.
All six flats will provide much needed temporary accommodation for families and individual people that are waiting to be housed in permanent homes.
A further four flats are due to be completed at the former Eastside district housing office.
Andrea Lewis, Cabinet Member for Service Transformation, said: “I’m really impressed with the redevelopment of the former district housing office. Our Building Services team has once again transformed, what was, an outdated office block, into much needed accommodation.
“In the case of this redevelopment, we have taken the opportunity of create temporary housing which we are in short supply of.
“The new flats will give us many more options to provide urgent and temporary homes for families and single people that are on our waiting list for permanent housing. This is a huge benefit in our efforts to prevent homelessness in Swansea.”
The Council has previously unveiled two new council homes in the community of Gorseinon.
Two semi-detached three-bedroomed homes were recently completed at a property on Alexandra Road in Gorseinon. The building was a former respite centre which the council has previously identified as surplus to requirements.
Six two-bedroom flats have also been completed at West Cross and have been developed to the Council’s ‘Swansea Standard’ blueprint, providing sustainable, energy efficient homes that feature innovative energy saving aspects such as solar roofs and ground source heating.
Cllr Lewis added: “We are pushing forward with the commitment we made to increase and improve our housing stock so we can reduce waiting lists and ensure we tackle homelessness effectively.
“Our More Homes initiative seeks to develop 1,000 new energy-efficient council homes within a decade – the biggest council housebuilding project for a generation.”
