Couple get the keys to the door as council racks up 100th home
A Sunderland couple have become the 100th residents to move into their new councilbuilt home.
Alison and David Step, who both live with a number of medical conditions that impact their mobility and general health, have praised the team at Sunderland City Council for their support, after securing a two-bedroom bungalow in Arnay Court in Old Mill Road.
The couple’s new-build bungalow, one of homes developed in Southwick, has given them a new lease of life, enabling them to easily navigate the property and a large outdoor space for their grandchildren to enjoy.
The homes were built by Sunderland-based MCC Homes and are part of Sunderland City Council’s £59m Housing Delivery and Investment Plan (HDIP).
The five-year plan aims to ensure residents have access to the homes they need throughout their lives, vulnerable people are able to live in properties that support them to be independent for longer, and that empty homes are returned to use.
As well as being registered blind, Alison, 57, lives with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, meaning the move to the bungalow has greatly improved her quality of life.
David has type 2 diabetes, spinal stenosis and dermatological problems, and have moved into their new home
from a third-floor apartment with 51 stairs to navigate.
Alison said: “We are absolutely
tickled pink with the house. Our apartment was becoming really difficult for us to access, which meant we were increasingly isolated.
“I think, in the end, we were becoming quite depressed, so the move to a home that meets our needs has lifted our mood and we’re starting to live again, which is lovely.”
Alison and David have become the 100th residents to move into a council house after the city council became a registered provider, after a 20-year hiatus, in 2020.
Cllr Iain Scott, dynamic city deputy cabinet member, said: “I am thrilled that Alison and David are settling into their lovely new home, the 100th residents to benefit from the HDIP which is delivering good quality homes for affordable rent across the city. It’s clear, the difference this home is making to their lives, and it really brings into focus why the HDIP is so important to us as a council.”