Work has started on turning an old office building into flats in the centre of Brighton.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Work is getting under way to transform a former office building to provide 11 new council homes in the city centre.
“The building at Palace Place, in the Old Steine, will be converted into 11 one-bedroom apartments, providing temporary homes for people in housing need.
“Work started on the site in early January and the new accommodation is due to be ready for residents by the end of the year.
“The Palace Place building was originally a residential property and later used as offices.
“It is being given a new lease of life as part of the council’s Hidden Homes project, which transforms empty or ‘hidden’ spaces in council-owned buildings into good-quality, comfortable and sustainable new council homes.
“The Palace Place homes are designed to be energy efficient, to help reduce energy bills for residents, and will include a wheelchair-accessible apartment.
“The apartments will be managed by the council and used to provide temporary housing for people until a permanent home becomes available.
“The development is one of a number of projects funded following three 3 successful bids to the government’s Local Authority Housing Fund to increase the stock of temporary accommodation in the city.”
Labour councillor Gill Williams, the council’s cabinet member for housing and new homes, said: “We’re taking a range of measures to increase the supply of housing in the city – and the project at Palace Place will deliver much-needed additional temporary homes.
“Providing more temporary accommodation which we own and manage ourselves helps to reduce the need to house people in privately owned accommodation.
“We look forward to seeing these new apartments taking shape and welcoming the first residents when they are completed.”
The council added: “The Palace Place project is part of a package of measures to provide more council homes across the city.
“We’re building more homes through our New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme.Homes for Brighton and Hove, a partnership between the council and affordable housing provider Hyde, has delivered 346 low-cost homes, including 176 council-rented homes.
“We are also buying back council homes, lost under the ‘right to buy’ scheme, through our Home Purchase Policy.”