CONCERNS over social housing in a village are rising as two families set to move after years of waiting were blocked by a housing provider selling off its stock.

Natalie McMillan, her partner and her two children, won the bid for a three-bedroom Aster property in West Park, Appleshaw, only to be told weeks after the process began that the house would be sold on the open market.

Ms McMillan refused £50 compensation from Aster, and the failed move affected another mother, Kate Street, and her daughter who won a bid to move into Ms McMillan’s two-bedroom house.

The ordeal was raised at an Appleshaw Parish Council meeting on Thursday last week, where chairman Anne Cowlin said Aster ‘need to be stopped.’

Councillor Jenny Hopkins added: “It is not right. I understood from a neighbour that a corroborated move was destroyed really as Aster decided to sell a house in West Park instead of re-letting it. A house in Greensey had been sold on last year from social housing without reference to anybody. I just think Aster is a housing company which is managing social housing with no reference to the parish.”

“If they are being sold that is one less for the parish and the parish has some responsibility to say we don’t want them to sell our houses.”

It was said at the meeting the West Park house was being sold on the private market for £239,950 due to the cost of repairs being at least £20,000.

Councillor Sean Caddy said: “On Graham’s [& Co, the estate agent] website the amount it is selling for does not reflect how bad it is [the repairs], if it is advertised for £240,000 but excess is £20,000 then actually West Park is put at a high value.

“When you look at cost analysis they have spent nothing on it, the previous tenants were there 38 years and all they have done is nothing, the tenants did work themselves.”

Aster said it currently has 18 homes in and around Andover for sale and new homes built are on average 5.5 miles away from the property sold. It plans to build 200 affordable homes in Hampshire in the next year.

A spokesman said: “We review properties for sale across our portfolio on a monthly basis once they become empty. By selling a very small proportion of properties that are expensive to maintain or costly to repair we are able to build at least two new homes for every empty, poor performing property we sell.

“We will always consider the housing needs of the local community and we will choose not to sell a property if there is specific need for that type of housing in the area.

“We are committed to providing affordable homes at prices that our customers can afford and this will not change. We do however need to strike the right balance of selling some of our stock so that we can provide homes for more people.We estimate that the total number of properties for sale over the next three years in Hampshire will be around 40.”

In 2016, 16 social houses were recorded in Appleshaw which has now reduced to 14 since 10 West Park is being sold off and a house in Greensey was sold last year.

Aster properties in other villages such as Weyhill and the Wallops were also sold off in 2017.

As previously reported by the Advertiser, social housing tenants on average waited up to six years for a house to suit their needs last year, and Test Valley Borough Council’s (TVBC) housing portfolio holder Phil Bundy said there is a severe shortage supply in the housing market.

Penton Bellinger councillor Phil Lashbrook said while the disposal of affordable housing stock can only be commented on by the property owners, he has assisted alongside fellow councillor Pam Mutton “all those who seek our help and this has been no exception.”

Cllr Lashbrook added: “TVBC is working with various parties to address the need for affordable housing in our rural communities. At present there are a number building developments taking place that go to provide affordable housing.”

Ms Street has been bidding for a two-bedroom house for nearly two years to cater for herself and her daughter Izzy, 12, who currently share one bedroom, and split from her son Josh who lived separately with his grandmother until he was old enough to move out.

Since the move into Ms McMillan’s house was stopped, Ms Street feels she ‘doesn’t stand a chance.’

Ms Street said: “Knowing now there is only 14 social houses in the village we really don’t stand a chance. I don’t mind living at Picket Twenty either and moving out [of the village], all I want to do is provide a bedroom for my daughter. I recently bid on a house in Picket Twenty and I came in 128th position.

“We need our own space, Izzy needs privacy, I need privacy, all we have got is a curtain and it is not enough.”