“I still wake up every day and can’t believe I live here” - Tenants have spoken of the difference their homes are making as the Council continues to provide 1,000 new Council homes for local people.
A report due to be considered by Cabinet on Monday 6 July sets out how the Council remains on track to fulfil its commitment to deliver 1,000 Council properties by summer 2027– with more than 800 new homes now delivered across the borough.
It outlines the progress through the Council Homes Delivery Programme, including the delivery of 66 new homes between 1 December 2025 and 31 May 2026 – bringing the total to 808 Council homes.
The homes delivered during this period include 21 Council build homes in Swinton, Maltby and Canklow, 26 via private developers and 19 from the open market.
All Council homes are allocated fairly to those most in need on the Housing Register. Applicants for council homes in Rotherham need to have lived or worked here for at least three of the last four years, with a limited number of exceptions including military veterans and people fleeing domestic violence.
Military veteran Peter has recently moved into one of the new Council homes in Canklow.
Peter, who served in the Army for over a decade after leaving school, said: “I lived in a first floor Council flat in Kimberworth and was very happy there, but due to medical reasons I needed a ground floor property, which is why I applied for this development.
“The space has been really well thought out – it’s such a pleasure to live here.”
Amelia, who recently moved into a three-bedroom Council property in Maltby, said: “I was on the Housing Register for nearly three years when I saw this property.
“It’s a no gas property and I have noticed my bills have gone down from where I lived before.
“I still wake up every day and can’t believe I live here.”
Work has recently begun on 28 Council homes across three sites – Denman Road, Bushfield Road and Valley Drive – in Wath and planning permission has been granted for 20 homes on Tenter Street, Thornhill. Thirty-one new homes are being built in Eastwood – work starts on Netherfield Court this week and York Road next month.
Cllr Linda Beresford, Cabinet member for Housing, said: “We are committed to delivering more high-quality, affordable homes for local people, and this latest update shows that we remain firmly on track to meet our target of 1,000 new Council homes for local people by summer 2027.
“Every new home delivered through this programme makes a real difference to residents and families across Rotherham. With demand for Council housing remaining high, it is vital that we continue to build, buy and secure homes that meet local needs and support people to live well in safe, secure accommodation.
“The programme is also helping us plan for the future, with additional homes built into the pipeline so we can manage delivery risks and continue increasing the number of Council homes available beyond 2027.”
The Housing Delivery Programme supports the Council’s Housing Strategy 2025–2030, which commits to building high-quality, sustainable and affordable homes, improving housing quality and energy efficiency, and reducing inequalities across communities.
Read the Cabinet report here - https://moderngov.rotherham.gov.uk/documents/s159041/Housing%20Delivery%20Programme%20Update%20-%20July%202026%20-%20V1.4.pdf
