Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Head of Planning and Housing Strategy on the impact of the Local Plan 2036 upon the provision of social and affordable housing and the impact upon homelessness.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor N J Guyatt, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Housing, Mr S Ingram, Head of Planning and Housing Strategy, Mr J Collen, Housing Needs and Resources Manager, and Mrs J Emmerton, Housing Strategy Manager, were in attendance for consideration of this item).

The Chairman reported that he had requested that this matter was added to the Agenda for the meeting because recent increases in the level of homelessness had placed pressures on the Housing Register. In that light he had requested the attendance of the Head of Planning and Housing Strategy at the meeting to provide an outline of how the new Local Plan would help to address housing and homelessness needs within the District.

The Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing reminded Members that the Council previously had been successful in reducing the levels of homelessness and increasing the number of affordable homes within the District. He then outlined his vision for the future, which centred on encouraging new developments and the opportunities arising from the Local Enterprise Zone. He acknowledged that achieving more affordable homes and reducing the levels of homelessness would be difficult tasks over the next few years. He did however remain hopeful that some progress would start to be made over the next 2-3 years.

The Housing Needs and Resources Manager reported on homelessness trends in the District in recent years and indicated that homelessness was currently on the increase. The Council had a statutory duty to prevent households from becoming homeless and the Housing Needs and Resources Manager reported that currently 95 households were accommodated in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. The Housing Strategy Manager then delivered an outline of the options available to the Council to prevent homelessness, which included re-letting existing housing stock and housing individuals though the new affordable homes programme and in the private rented sector. In her concluding remarks, the Housing Strategy Manager explained how the Local Plan would help to bring forward housing and that rural housing opportunities had arisen through the National Planning Policy Framework and the community planning process.

The Head of Planning and Housing Strategy then delivered a brief outline of current developments in planning policy and the restrictions placed by the Government on the Council. Attempts would be made by the Planning Service to ensure the delivery of affordable housing over the next few years; however, this would continue to remain a challenge during the difficult financial times that presently existed. Whilst there were a number of large scale strategic sites planned for development in the District in the future, Members were mindful of the fact that these often took between 5-7 years from original concept to occupation.

A number of matters were discussed, including the influence that developers and landowners had over the market, whether or not there was demand for retirement villages, the exceptions that could be made to planning policy through community plans and the incentives offered to social tenants to encourage them to downsize.

Having thanked the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Housing and Officers for their attendance at the meeting, the Panel requested updates on the provision of social and affordable housing every six months.