Backing for new council housing
COUNCIL houses could be built in Tiverton for the first time in 14 years, after Mid Devon councillors last week gave agreement in principle to restarting home building in the district.
Mid Devon District Council has identified two sites in Tiverton that it says are under-used and suitable for development which could provide for as many as 25 new affordable homes. The council would need to borrow to fund the developments but says plans are still at an early stage with no firm timetable for when new buildings would be delivered.
The authority has not built council houses since 1996 but has instead supported and encouraged housing associations to provide new affordable homes.
A report presented to members of the council's executive last week, argued for a change of direction: "We have seen some encouragement for the return of councils into the field of house building under the last Government and monies were made available to support council house building.
"Government support for these schemes via the Homes and Committees Agency has been withdrawn recently and there remains uncertainty about future levels of support for building affordable homes."
Potential plots of land which the council has identified for development include an area of run-down garages at Round Hill, Cotteylands, with the potential for 21 homes, and at Watery Lane where there is room for a further four homes.
The council has also identified a site at Fir Close in Willand which could deliver five more.
The council says initial site investigations have been made and ideas have been put forward. Its report states: "Planning applications should now be submitted to confirm the development potential and enable the council to decide the most appropriate course of action with each site."
The council report explores a range of option as how best to develop surplus land, which could include: selling it on the open market, a partnership with developers, increasing social housing in conjunction with a housing association or borrowing funds to develop the land and repaying the loan from rents.
Members of the council's executive meeting in Tiverton last Thursday approved in principle supporting redevelopment of land for affordable homes for rent.
Councillor Alan Griffiths, who represents the Cotteylands area, said: "Provision of social housing is absolutely essential and I think this is a good idea in principle.
"The one concern I have is that if housing is put on the site of garages, we need to build adequate parking spaces associated with that new housing, so we don't create increased congestion on the roads in Lower Cotteylands."
The council report acknowledges: "There will be some costs incurred in officer time and external expertise in bringing outline development ideas to fruition and achieving planning permission for any site."
It stresses a "robust business case for any individual development" will have to be made in order for it to gain approval.
Councillors at the executive meeting were told that ward members would have the opportunity to put forward other sites within their area which they felt might be suitable for development, which could then also be considered by the council.
Leader of the council Councillor Peter Hare-Scott said: "There is a chronic housing shortage and if we can help in some way I think we should proceed with this initiative, provided of course, that the numbers stack up."
Jo Turner, housing adviser with the Churches Housing Action Team, said: "Any addition to the housing stock within the town is to be welcomed and we applaud Mid Devon for this move.
Comments
by Alison, Roundhill
Friday, September 10 2010, 11:32AM
“It would appear that none of the people quoted in this article actually live at Roundhill.
The site in question have derelict garages only because the council refuse to rent them out deliberately (I know I have tried to rent one personally) and many are still in use. There is already heavy parking here and an added extra from the seized garages will add to this and that is not taking into consideration the added (two cars per family?) addition these new properties would represent. There is without doubt going to be parking problems for the whole of Cotteylands as a consequence.
Please remember also that the majority of houses are also private housing.
There will be a substantial loss of light and privacy to these properties also: for anyone who knows the site the area proposed is terraced. The trees which must be removed on this site (a good many) will give rise to flooding as this complete site rises about 30ft from say, the front of those houses to the back of those houses.
Children play quietly and happily in this road where they can be safely seen by their parents and the increased traffic would now make that impossible too.
I am totally in agreement with much needed new housing. But surely the cost to build and shore up these houses at Roundhill is not cost effective in the long term compared to say, buying up the old commercial sites and buildings available in Tiverton which would give potential for a far greater number of council/affordable houses.
By the way, the proposal that was set out was supposed to be for 13 houses and it would appear that since the Inspectors Report was published it has now risen to 21.
And can anyone tell me exactly and in detail, what 'affordable/social housing' means by definition of the Mid Devon District Council?”