COUNCIL bosses hope that a new housing block could help lead to the regeneration of one of Brighton’s most notorious estates.

Plans have been unveiled by Brighton and Hove City Council to build another 56 new affordable council flats on two sites.

And council officers state that the redevelopment of the former housing office site in Selsfield Drive will provide a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the Bates Estate with the hope that good quality housing will lead to a fall in crime rates.

The two schemes costing a joint £14.2 million and funded partly by Right-To-Buy council house sales will be discussed at next week’s Housing and New Homes committee.

Rents for the property are set to be around 60 to 70 per cent of market rents with a one bed flat costing £153 a week, a two bed flat £192 a week and a three bed flat £230.

In total 29 council flats are proposed for the Wellsbourne site in Whitehawk Road which was previously part of Whitehawk Infants School and is now bordered by the Roundabout Children’s Centre, a GP surgery and The Whitehawk library and café hub.

The proposed two-block development would offer 9 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom and 7 three-bedroom flats.

A further 27 flats are proposed for the site of the former Selsfield Drive housing office and eight garages off Lewes Road which would be contained within a single six-storey block.

A public sewer will have to be diverted during the site preparation stage of the project - adding to the construction costs.

If agreed next week, the council will seek planning approval in the summer with both year-long construction projects set to begin in the autumn.

Each development would include three wheelchair-accessible flats with all other flats to be easily accessible and adaptable for residents with mobility needs.

Councillor Anne Meadows, chairwoman of the council’s housing and new homes committee, said: “Building new homes is a top priority for the city so these developments would be another really big step forward with our programme.

“We’re committed to doing everything we can to tackle the housing crisis and build as many new, high-quality, affordable homes as we can to help those in housing need.”