A NUMBER of properties in Romsey could soon receive a makeover by Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC), it has been revealed.

Council chiefs are expected to approve plans on Wednesday, February 12, for seven homes homes in Portersbridge Street to be revamped before they are rented out privately later this year.

If the plans are given the green light by the cabinet, the properties will be leased to the authority’s housing management company, Valley Housing Ltd., which lets its homes to those on TVBC’s housing register.

The homes include six three-bedroom houses and one two-bedroom house, each have a back yard.

Finance portfolio holder, cllr Maureen Flood, said: “When Aster said that they didn’t need the houses any more, we had an opportunity to decide whether to keep them or sell them on.

"Subject to approval from council colleagues, we’re hoping to refurbish them and bring them back into use as they will provide really great homes for those in need of private rented accommodation. "This of course also benefits the council as we will be able to bring in some additional income through rent.”

The properties were leased to Aster as temporary accommodation since 2003, but the housing association recently indicated that it no longer required the TVBC-owned period homes.

This was due to Aster not meeting the local need for temporary accommodation using their own properties.

A final decision is set to be made at a full council on Wednesday, February 26.

The council created Valley Housing Ltd in 2016 as part of its Project Enterprise initiative, aiming to generate additional income for the authority and reduce its dependence on the government’s revenue support grant over the coming years.