Residents of Rottingdean, a cliff-top East Sussex gem crowned one of Britain’s prettiest villages, are seething over Brighton and Hove City Council’s £50 million plan to snap up 200 homes for temporary social housing. The plan targets 21 brand-new properties on Vaughan Williams Way and Nicholson Place, where two-bedroom flats fetch £350,000 on the open market.
The East Sussex village of Rottingdean has been dubbed one of the prettiest villages in Britain and regularly ranks among the top five coastal hotspots for homebuyers. Steeped in history, with smugglers’ tunnels, beautiful timber pubs and a hotel that inspired the Cluedo board game, many detached four-bedroom homes come with a £2 million price tag. Residents are stunned that the local council is buying expensive homes in the seaside village to use for temporary housing.
Amanda Waddell, 73, said: “I’m not against it but I think the decision is an ideological one rather than practical. It doesn’t seem a good use of taxpayers’ money to spend more on getting less. If the council bought outside Rottingdean they’d get so much more for their money. It doesn’t really make sense.”
Her husband Tim Waddell, 79, said: “It’s a difficult decision. People who require social housing have to be housed somewhere I just don’t think Rottingdean is the right place for it.”
David Harlock, 65, said: “I’m not sure it’s the correct place for widespread social housing and might not be considered the best use of council taxpayers’ money.
“There are places that surround Rottingdean where the council would get more for its money.”
He added: “Some of these places the council has bought will place their residents right in the heart of a community that might not have the facilities they require.”
Clive Bonny said: “If the council has £50m to spend – and much I’m aware is borrowed money – then it makes sense to spend it on as much space as possible. It is not difficult to understand that if you’re spending money in a high-cost area than that money could be spent on more housing for more people in a lower cost area – it’s just common sense.”
He added: “The council is consumed with the levelling up ideology and they don’t really understand that by adopting this approach they are hurting part of the community. We don’t want to be levelled down.”
Gareth Tipton, 44, said: “Giving people the chance to live where they might not ordinarily have is a good thing and I’m all for social mobility.
“It’s a beautiful village and hopefully they’ll enjoy living here.” He called opponents “insular and fearful.”
Charlotte Daly said: “There will be homeowners thinking: ‘What’s this going to do to the value of my home’ but I’m all for it. I think Rottingdean is a lovely place to grow up. I grew up in social housing on the edge of the village and I enjoyed living here hugely.”
Councillor Jacob Taylor said: “Social housing is something to be proud of – we should have council homes in every neighbourhood and get away from the ludicrous idea that social housing should only exist in poorer areas.”
As first reported by the Daily Mail, the Labour-led council faces “woke” criticism after a wood-burning stove advert and gender-neutral pool plans.
