500 council homes to be built across Sandwell
Five hundred new council homes will be built in a borough over the next three years as part of a major investment to boost the housing stock.
Sandwell Council will embark on one of the biggest council house building projects in years in a bid to tackle its growing waiting list.
Bosses said housing was among their main priorities, with £70 million to be ploughed into new developments until 2021.
Extensions to existing council properties are also planned.
CCTV could also be rolled out at high-rise blocks as part of the improvements in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour.
The authority is also planning to create hundreds of school places over the coming years to deal with the borough's rising population.
Some council house projects are already in the pipeline, including plans for 63 properties in Strathmore Road and Henn Street, Tipton, and another 50 in Friar Park, Wednesbury.
Wednesbury councillor Peter Hughes said the housebuilding programme was a signal of the council's intent to improve living standards.
He said: "It has been decades since local authorities have built to the extent that we are.
"Sandwell is probably leading the way in terms of local authority social house building.
"There is a massive need for social housing. As a former housing manager myself I'm very much in favour of seeing house building take place. A lot of local authorities haven't done it for some time."
Councillor Hughes said despite the huge outlay on creating new homes, it would also prove beneficial for the council.
He said: "We will get an increase in council tax and we will also get the new homes bonus coming in which is quite substantial."
The house building drive comes after councillors gave the green light to plans that will see around £52 million spent on external improvements to 13 high-rise blocks across Oldbury, Rowley Regis and West Bromwich starting this year.
First in line is Alfred Gunn House in Oldbury, with improvements also planned for Darley House, Moorlands Court, St Giles Court, Addenbrooke Court and Wesley Court in Rowley Regis; Heronville House, Paget House and Wyrley House in Oldbury and Holly Court, Oak Court, Allen House and Boulton House in West Bromwich.
