PLANS to build new homes for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees are progressing after Basildon Council received more than £700,000 from the Government.

In February, the Echo revealed the authority is set to receive £2.4million in government funding to build 17 new homes for refugees living in the borough after fleeing war-torn countries.

The council has now received £728,547 from the first round of the Local Authority Housing Scheme – an initiative by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to help provide sustainable accommodation to refugees on resettlement schemes who are unable to secure their own housing.

The Government says it will help to “fulfil the UK’s humanitarian duties” and “reduce the impact of new arrivals on existing housing pressures”.

Echo: Home - new properties are being built for refugees in BasildonHome - new properties are being built for refugees in Basildon (Image: Terry Joyce)

Basildon Council leader Andrew Baggott previously insisted the authority would not allow refugees to apply for council houses in the borough.

He now acknowledges the council must fulfil its requirements as set out by the Government but has confirmed helping people from Basildon in need of housing remains the priority.

The Conservative councillor said: “Our existing housing stock should be for Basildon residents, so we’ve done what we’re required to do by the Government to help refugees but we haven’t gone over and above that.”

The Government expects as many as 4,000 homes could be provided nationally as part of this £500million scheme.

A second round of the Local Authority Housing Fund promising £250million to help cover the costs of securing housing for Afghan refugees who assisted the British military was announced in March.

Government data published last week confirms Basildon Council is yet to receive any grants from the second round of the scheme.

A council spokesman previously confirmed: “Basildon Council has drafted a memorandum of understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to receive approximately £2.4million to go towards the provision of 17 longer-term homes for Ukrainian and Afghan families living in the borough.”

The funding to secure new homes for refugees comes after a move by the Home Office to stop using hotels to house asylum seekers, which had been costing about £1million a day to maintain.