Lofty hopes for council conversions

15/06/2012 08:26:19

 

Housing chiefs are looking up to help ease overcrowding in council homes by carrying out loft conversions.

A pilot scheme in the Midlands has seen work on the first two-bedroom loft conversion completed with several more planned for the coming months, and councillors hope the move will enable families in overcrowded houses to stay in their homes.

Councillor Simon Hackett, cabinet member for housing at Sandwell Council, said he was "delighted" to see the first conversion - complete with new flooring and carried out by property manager Riverside - finished on the Harvills Hawthorn estate in West Bromwich.

He said: "The family involved were very, very pleased with the new facilities they have now. This scheme will allow us to help those people we are unable to assist at the moment because of the lack of housing stock.

"We are doing six or seven of these this year and I will have a small, ongoing programme of improvements year on year because I firmly believe that they will bring benefits to tenants and the council."

Copyright Press Association 2012

 

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