Newhaven council homes put on hold after mini budget

Six three-bedroom homes are proposed on the site of a former fire station in Newhaven, East Sussex

A housing development has been put on hold after councillors had to review the business case for the scheme following the "catastrophic impact of the government's mini budget."

Six three-bedroom homes are proposed on the site of a former fire station in Newhaven, East Sussex.

A Lewes District Council cabinet member said the budget had "potentially derailed a superb development".

The purchase of the site will still go ahead.

But the housing development will remain under review, the authority said.

The council's leader, Liberal Democrat James MacCleary, said: "We have a really good plan here to build high quality, sustainable new homes for local people on our waiting list and we are unable to proceed due to rocketing costs that are the direct result of government incompetence.

"Every imaginable cost has gone up including the cost of borrowing."

Councillor William Meyer, cabinet member for housing at Lewes District Council, said: "The catastrophic impact of the government's mini budget has potentially derailed a superb development of new homes that local people are desperate for."

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been approached for comment.

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