Swale Borough Council announced on 10 March 2026 that it is building 51 new affordable homes for rent on the site of a former car park at Cockleshell Walk in Sittingbourne, Kent. The project is designed to help local families who need a home while also regenerating the town centre area.
There are currently more than 1,800 households on the local housing register, but only about 400 homes become available each year. These new homes are intended to provide immediate help for families in the community who are struggling to find a place to live.
The work is being funded by £6.4 million from the central government through the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme. The council has chosen a building company called Regiis to manage the construction, following a competitive process to find the right partner.
The design of the new homes will include brickwork that references the town’s brick-making heritage to celebrate local history. The plans also include new plants and landscaping along St Michael’s Road, which will provide a provide a biodiversity net gain of 117 per cent.
Councillor Hannah Perkin, who chairs the housing, health and communities committee, explained that the government funding was necessary because the low rents would not cover the cost of building the homes on their own. The development is part of a plan to use empty town centre land to provide more housing for residents.
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