Agenda item

Agenda item

New Affordable Housing Supply Strategy 2020

Report of the Head of Housing

Minutes:

Chris Lambert, Head of Housing and David Scruton, Housing Strategy and Systems Team Manager presented the report to the Committee.

 

The report set out how the Strategy had identified a number of priority actions to support the Council’s ambition to increase and improve affordable housing supply.

 

Chairman thanked Mr Lambert and Mr Scruton and invited questions and comments from Members.

 

In answer to a number of questions from Members, the Committee was advised that the ‘narrow’ pipeline of schemes would be extended, with other schemes soon to be included but these were still at the pre-proposal stage. There is a lot of work which goes on behind the scenes to assess the sites and this results in a number that are considered that are found not to be suitable for development. Once a site has been identified as suitable for development there is then work to ensure that schemes meet planning and building regulations.

 

The Head of Housing agreed that it could be a good time to seek land acquisitions but care needs to be taken that we are not competing with our own partners such as Housing Associations and thus pushing up land values and paying more for sites. In terms of standards around affordable warmth, this is a key consideration in terms of scheme specifications but it was acknowledged the document could reference this more clearly.

 

It was acknowledged that the Strategy currently does not contain specific targets or an action plan as at this stage it was a direction of travel as opposed to a delivery agenda. A comment about smarter targets was acknowledged. It was agreed that how the strategy will be delivered will be set out when the strategy is considered by Cabinet.

 

In response to the comments made about the quality of the existing housing stock, it was reported that stock in low demand areas is disposed of through the asset disposal programme and there is still a lot of investment in the maintenance programme to ensure the decent homes standards are retained; and work is currently ongoing looking at how more can be done to exceed the standards.

 

A number of questions were asked about the relationship between the strategy and the Council’s Carbon Commitment. It was acknowledged that a significant amount of carbon emission is generated by the process of building new homes and this needs to be considered as well as the lifetime energy output of the home once completed. It was agreed that further work would be carried out in terms of linkages between the carbon commitment and the draft strategy but there is a trade off between quantity and quality and any enhancements to specifications are likely to lead to a reduction in the overall amount of affordable housing delivered.

 

 

Councillor T Eynon requested clarification regarding paragraph 57 of the National Planning Policy Framework with regard to making viability assessments publically available. It was confirmed that this new guidance would apply to planning applications when assessments are submitted by an applicant although as there has been no recent submissions this was perhaps why this had not been demonstrated.

 

In terms of the consultation process, effectively this meeting was the first stage of this and the Strategy will not be considered by Cabinet until 22 September; and the time between now and then will be used to have discussions with our partners and other interested parties.

 

Finally, it was noted that specialist housing for the elderly was an area where, in the past we have had an over- supply but the issue was around the quality of what was available. There have been some difficult decisions made in respect of some of these and considerable investment in others to ensure that they meet required standards and this is an area that will be progressed. An example of the frail elderly scheme in Ashby was given as an example of what can be achieved across the district when working with our partners. 

 

The recommendation as set out on page 29 of the agenda was moved by Councillor Merrie, seconded by Councillor Hoult and by affirmation of the meeting

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The report and the recommendations therein be duly noted and the comments made at this meeting be reported to Cabinet ahead of its meeting on 22 September 2020.

 

Councillor Wyatt left the meeting at 7.15pm

 

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