CASTLE Point will get its first new council homes in more than 25 years after a £2.3million deal was struck.

The council exchanged contracts to buy Draper Court at 35, Long Road, Canvey, this week.

If the sale goes through, Draper Court will provide 14 one-bedroom flats and 11 twobedroom flats for families on the council’s housing waiting list.

Completion of the purchase will take place on or before Sunday, November 30, this year.

Beverley Egan, councillor responsible for homes and community engagement said: “This is fantastic news, my thanks to all involved.

“I am delighted we are able to purchase Draper Court for council housing, the first in 25 years.”

“This acquisition will enable us to provide housing support for up to 50 Castle Point families.

“A number of people within Castle Point were looking to downsize and these flats will give them the chance to do so – freeing properties elsewhere.”

There are more than 1,500 families on the housing waiting list and Mrs Egan says the council is looking at a variety of ways to help them.

She said: “We are looking at garage sites, brownfield sites and council land, but we have to find some finance.”

The council had been in talks since April to secure Draper Court and was able to strike a deal after a change in the law allowed it to use money received from the sale of council houses under the right to buy scheme to replace them with new ones.

The last time the council was able to build homes in the borough was the 1988 development of Benfleet’s Abbotswood Estate.