Decision details

Authorisation of option to increase council housing stock.

The Housing Manager submitted a report seeking approval for the implementation of new methods of delivering additional council properties and other housing tenures in Chesterfield, and to seek permission to make alterations to the Housing Acquisitions Policy in order for the council to better meet housing needs in the borough.

The report noted that housing delivery in Chesterfield had been well below Local Plan targets for many years, with a range of national and local factors creating the low delivery of housing supply which had in turn affected income to the council in the form of New Homes Bonus and Council Tax. In order to address these problems the Housing Service had identified several options to help meet demand for new council and affordable housing, as well as to increase the supply of private housing in Chesterfield

The Housing Manager outlined the proposed actions to promote increased housing supply in Chesterfield, including:

·        Developing a partnership with a Registered Provider in order to develop social housing on council owned land which could not be provided by the council independently.

·        Making amendments to the Strategic Acquisitions Policy to allow for more properties to be purchased and put back into use to meet the needs of larger families,

·        That in areas with a high supply of social and affordable properties instead of requiring private developers to have a percentage of affordable housing to instead request a sum of money is commuted to allow small infill plots and under used garage sites in these areas to be developed.

·        Conducting a review the council’s garage plot sites across the borough which were under used and in poor condition, in order to look at their potential for housing development.

The report also contained details on the legal, financial and equalities implications of the proposals.

*RESOLVED –

1.   That Housing Revenue Account land, Right-to-Buy receipts and Section 106 monies for affordable housing be used to deliver a larger development programme of new Council Housing in partnership with Registered Providers, commencing with the redevelopment of the former Brockwell Court site with Great Places Housing Group.

2.   That the purchase and refurbishment cost limit on former Right-to-Buy properties and property acquisitions be increased from £90,000 to £150,000.

3.   That Commuted Sums, generated from development on sites where additional onsite delivery is not required, be utilised to fund the development of small infill sites on Council estates to deliver new Council Housing units.

4.   That a further report be brought to Cabinet with a proposed programme of disposal, development and refurbishment of Housing Revenue Account plot garage sites across the Borough to deliver new affordable and market houses.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

To manage the Council’s Housing assets effectively and to support the Housing Capital Investment Programme.

To contribute to the Council’s Priorities - ‘to improve the quality of life for local people’ and ‘to provide value for money services’.