A key milestone was reached this week as Labour keeps its commitment to deliver 1,000 new council homes over the coming years, as Cllr Sarah Allen received the keys to the 500th new property.

The house, located in the Paddocks development, Wickersley, will be a Council house with a new tenant expected to move in before Christmas. The 500 homes have all been built or acquired since 2018.

It sits beside 11 other affordable housing properties, including five for rent and six for shared-ownership.

Rotherham Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Sarah Allen, said: “Reaching the 500 home mark in our pledge to create more affordable, high quality homes for residents has been an incredible journey for everyone involved, from our own members of staff to our contractors and private home builders to those who have made these properties their homes.

“We are proud that we have been able to offer a range of properties including apartments, bungalows, and family homes either through social housing, private sale or shared ownership. I look forward to seeing the next 500 homes being built and giving more residents and families the opportunity to make their own homes in the future.”

Across the borough hundreds of properties have been either built by Council housing projects or been purchased through the Council’s acquisitions programme from private developers.

Demand for Council homes remains high during the cost of living crisis, with 6,500 people currently on the waiting list.

Conservative councillors have voted to defund Labour’s building programme every year since they took office in 2021.

Earlier in 2023, the Council’s flagship housing developments in Rotherham town centre were complete with 171 new homes being made available for rent, shared-ownership or private purchase in Wellgate Place, Westgate Riverside and Millfold Rise.

This is just one of the many developments being built across the borough. Similar schemes are currently being developed or have been completed in areas such as Rawmarsh, Maltby, Broom, Dinnington and Treeton. In October, Cabinet agreed to 76 new council homes in Eastwood and Maltby.

Since January 2018 the Council has acquired 100 properties from private developers, including: 33 bungalows, 61 family homes and 6 apartments.