Stoke-on-Trent City Council has agreed to increase the budget for the redevelopment of Lily Gertrude Simister Court in Tunstall after the projected cost of the scheme rose by approximately 25% over two years.
Budget rise and funding changes
Members of the council's cabinet voted to approve a revised budget of £3.04 million for the project, up from the £2.43 million set in 2024. The council says the change — an increase of £615,522 — is attributable to inflationary pressures, additional design work and a category of site-related expenses described as "abnormal".
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original approved budget (2024) | £2.43m |
| Revised budget (2026) | £3.04m |
| Increase | £615,522 |
| Additional grant funding secured | £727,000 |
The council also reported securing an extra £727,000 of grant income made up of funding from Homes England and developer contributions. The additional grant support means the authority expects to need to borrow less to deliver the scheme.
Scheme details and timetable
Planning permission for the development — which will deliver 14 one‑bedroom council flats on the cleared former sheltered housing site — was granted in 2025. Cabinet documents say the flats are being built on brownfield land already held on the housing revenue account.
- Number of new homes: 14 one‑bed flats
- Planned construction start: January (council statement)
- Expected handover to council: January 2028
- Local need: 481 people currently on the waiting list for a one‑bed flat in the Tunstall area
Councillor Duncan Walker, the cabinet member for housing, described the budget approval as an important step towards delivering the homes. He said the scheme would make effective use of a cleared site and respond to local demand.
"This scheme will deliver 14 new homes in an area where demand is significant, while making effective use of a cleared brownfield site, already within the ownership of the housing revenue account."
The council report highlights that about £300,000 of the additional costs relate to so‑called abnormal works: retaining structures, earthworks (cut and fill), drainage improvements and requirements for acoustic glazing.
Political context and council reaction
Cabinet members welcomed the scheme's progression, framing it as evidence of the authority's commitment to developing brownfield sites. Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet support member for planning, used the meeting to counter the narrative that brownfield regeneration is being neglected.
"This knocks away the myth that we do not build on brownfield sites. We have to rely on Homes England a lot of the time with these sites."
Councillors stressed that external grant support continues to play a central part in enabling such developments and that the council is actively exploring funding routes to reduce the need for internal borrowing.
Local impact
For residents of Tunstall the scheme offers a modest but tangible increase in the supply of one‑bed affordable housing at a time of clear local need; the waiting list figure included in the cabinet report underlines why the council is prioritising such projects. Construction is due to begin in January and, if the timetable holds, handover will follow in January 2028.
While the additional grant funding improves the scheme's financial position, the increase in costs reflects broader pressures facing local authorities delivering housebuilding programmes: rising material and labour costs, site‑specific complications and heightened specification standards such as acoustic protection for flats near busy roads or rail lines.
The decision will be watched by local campaigners and residents on the housing waiting list, who will be keen to see the project delivered on time and at the revised cost.
