£3,000 rents cause housing fears near nuclear plant

Residents fear being priced out of a Suffolk town due to the construction of a nuclear power plant, with the rent on some homes doubling to more than £3,000 a month.

A final investment decision on Sizewell C is expected within months and groundwork is already under way.

Its construction is predicted to require a workforce of 7,900 people, with about two thirds moving from outside the area, and some people in nearby Leiston have claimed "landlords are cashing in" by raising rents.

Linda Druce, director and founder of Druce Estate & Letting Agents, said: "I have been in the area for 21 years now and this is the first time we have seen such a significant jump, particularly in rental prices."

Leiston, located between the more affluent coastal towns of Aldeburgh and Southwold, had traditionally been viewed as a more affordable place to live.

But one sales negotiator, who did not want to be named, said family homes in the area that were normally rented for £1,500 a month were now costing as much as £3,000.

It is a claim which was corroborated by Ms Druce.

"It is mainly because of Sizewell C contractors and those looking to be working here over the next year or two who are looking to rent," she said.

"The core of our clients are not likely to jump into wanting to get higher rents but we are seeing more people from out of the area who are buying buy-to-let properties.

"And quite frankly the local people who own them are more than happy to sell to the highest and best bidder."

One of the family homes with a rent of £3,000 a month - a fee which includes bills and cleaning costs - is a three bedroom semi-detached property in Carr Avenue.

The home, which is being let by Hamilton Smith estate agents, has two bathrooms and is described as being fully furnished and "beautifully presented".

Luke Vale, who owns Hamilton Smith, described the situation in the town as a "housing concern".

"Although that property is being marketed through us and to a particular set of clientele, we are still actively trying to look after our current clients," he said.

"We look after hundreds of properties in Leiston. I am having to deal with tenants who are terrified that their landlords are going to kick them out just so they can go down this route to make more money.

"But that doesn't factor in the number of landlords we have who do not want to increase their rent and are actually really good.

"The problem is a lot of landlords see pound signs and then the floodgates open and so, at the moment, if I put a house up for sale in Leiston, nine times out of 10 the viewing will be with someone who wants to buy it and rent it out per room."

Elsewhere in the town, another three-bedroom home is being advertised at a cost of £3,100 a month including bills, while a two-bedroom apartment is being let at a rate of £3,045 a month, including utility bills.

The current cost of renting in the area has raised eyebrows, not least given the average rent in Leiston is £773, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Sizewell C said 2,400 of the workers at the new power station will be based on site, while 500 others will live at Pontins Pakefield, near Lowestoft.

The remaining contractors, however, will have to move into local properties.

It is not just landlords who could capitalise on the influx of workers heading into the area.

Residents in Leiston who have spare rooms or spaces can apply to East Suffolk Council for a Sizewell C Housing Grant, which range from £3,000 to £7,000, as the authority looks to provide an additional 1,200 bed spaces during the construction.

"[These] provide funding to help local people bring latent accommodation back into use or upgrade their spare rooms to rent for extra income at a time when the cost of living is still a real challenge for a lot of people," said a Sizewell C spokesperson.

Despite this, the suggestion Sizewell C could be driving up prices does not sit well with tenants who currently live in the area.

Louise Smith, 54, said it was "unfair" local people might no longer be able to afford to live in Leiston "because of Sizewell".

She added: "The rents will go up and up and up because everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and the landlords are cashing in on it.

"They can just pick a figure out of the air and demand what they like because Mr Bloggs over there can pay that and Mr Smith over there can't.

"It's a shame but money talks."

According to the ONS, 79.1% of people in East Suffolk are in paid work or have a job, with the average weekly wage being £604, which equates to a £29,596 salary for someone who works 49 weeks in a year.

Wenge Yuan, 58, has lived in Leiston for over three years and is one of those who is concerned about the rent increases.

He said: "When we leave, our landlord has told us he will raise the price significantly because the environment has changed.

"There are a lot more workers coming here and the market is going up and getting hot.

"It's not good news for the people who need to rent and it is going to get more challenging to live here."

John Steven, 72, said he moved into a flat in Leiston in 2019 but had to leave when his landlord sold the property.

"When I moved here my rent was £625 a month but now that same flat is being rented out with bills for at least £1,500, and I believe that is because of Sizewell," he said.

"I know of a lady on her own who wants to find somewhere in Leiston but it is just impossible and the rates are going right up.

"It's not fair on the people who live here and if anyone wanted to come to Leiston it would be impossible to make a life here - I couldn't afford what they are charging.

"Those who don't work for Sizewell are being farmed out of the area. If my landlord decided to sell, I haven't got a clue where I would go."

Steven Grant, 60, said: "We do need nuclear power but unfortunately the rents are going up in this area and it is going to be a nightmare.

"You haven't got a chance now so you might as well give up and just deal with it. What are you going to do? It's done."

Leiston is known for once being a thriving manufacturing town, and the highly acclaimed Long Shop Museum and the town's film theatre are two of the draws for visitors.

Sizewell C, which is partly funded by EDF, said it would support up to 70,000 jobs and provide energy for about six million homes for 60 years.

In December, Sizewell C, in which the government has an 85% stake, also launched 35 new apprenticeships - the first of nearly 100 new early careers roles that will eventually become available on the project.

Those behind the site said they were working "closely with the housing team at East Suffolk Council" to ensure "there's no negative impacts" on the private housing sector and to the local area, including to the 5,508 people who live in Leiston.

This included both parties signing a Deed of Obligation and an Accommodation Working Group being formed to oversee the impacts of the workforce on the local housing market from now until the end of the construction period.

A spokesperson from East Suffolk Council added: "We recognise this has the potential to impact on local residents.

"While we have limited control over individual rents charged by private landlords, we will continue to work with Sizewell C, Suffolk County Council and the wider community to mitigate impacts."