Work on £1.6 million plans to build the first council houses in Brighton and Hove for more than 20 years will begin this summer.

Planning permission was granted last month for Brighton and Hove City Council to create 15 homes on the site of a disused block of flats in Wellington Road, Brighton.

These are thought to be the first new council homes in Brighton since the late 1980s, when part of Whitehawk was redeveloped.

In the intervening years, successive governments have given the role to other ‘social landlords’, mainly housing associations.

Building is expected to start in late July and be completed by next summer.

Homes, which will include eight two-bedroom flats, four one-bedroom flats and three four-bedroom houses, will be allocated to people living in the city on the waiting list.

The project is partly funded by the Homes and Communities Agency with borrowing by the council against income from future rents.