General Discussion
On the provision of Affordable rental and extra care housing in Dawlish
73
1
Thought this might be of interest. It is an excerpt from the minutes of the Dawlish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group held 7.6.16. Mrs Pujol is a TDC officer concerned with housing and health.
"Mrs Pujol advised that the Government had recently passed the Housing &
Planning Act with regulations still to follow. It was suspected to include the
definition of starter homes as affordable housing. Starter homes were homes
that would be available at a cost of 80% of the market value. The government
had proposed that 20% of all affordable homes must comprise starter homes.
This would have significant implications for Dawlish; the Teignbridge Local
Plan had allocated a 25% minimum threshold of affordable housing – in the
event the regulations are passed, 20% of the 25% would be starter homes
and there was nothing the local planning authority could do as this formed
national planning policy.
In terms of the Local Plan’s housing allocation for Dawlish there were
approximately 900 new homes planned with an anticipated level of 225
affordable homes with a 70/30 split of rented affordable or shared ownership /
discounted market value homes.
An affordable home was defined as affordable rented, must not exceed 80%
of the market rent – shared ownership was also within that definition. The
new regulations on starter homes would not impose a local connection
proviso and would be open to any first time buyer aged between 23 and 40.
Currently Teignbridge attached a local connection condition so that first
preference would be for local people but for n of starter homes this would not
apply
Following questions from Members, Mrs Pujol advised that she believed there
it bwould be a condition of purchasing a starter home that the purchaser
remained in the property for 5 years, possibly longer – further clarification
would be realised with the publication of the regulations.
In terms of the remaining 5% allocation of affordable housing on new
developments there was currently no policy on what that would be – she was
in talks with Planning colleagues over the supplementary planning document
to include rented as the need was evidenced. Teignbridge was actively
exploring the possibility of establishing a housing company which would
enable the Council to buy ‘off the shelf’ cheaper end properties that could be
rented out to try and maintain the supply of affordable rented accommodation
however it would be a significant challenge.
Extra care housing was a step up from sheltered housing; it allowed
independent accommodation, with care provided on site. The level of nursing
care was in-between care home and sheltered housing Teignbridge were
finding it a challenge to deliver extra care across the district – 1 scheme has
been delivered in Newton Abbot; the scheme cost over £9M – less grant
around from HCA – which was on average £20K per unit. New HCA funding
guidance states there will be no grant for rented housing. There was a pot of
funding available for supported housing but grants for extra care were
reducing. The Council wanted to put extra care at Shutterton but at present
there appeared to be no appetite to deliver this from the Registered Social
landlords.
With regards to the housing company Mrs Pujol advised that Teignbridge had
very limited land in terms of land availability; it would have to go out and buy it
as any other developer. Consultants were currently undertaking a feasibility
study to see if it was viable. It was not new in terms of our aspirations, and it
would be small numbers; approx 50 units per year – so it was not big numbers
compared to the local plan allocations.
Mrs Pujol reiterated that Teignbridge was doing all it could to ensure
affordable and extra care housing remained options for residents and would
update the Group when further clarification was received from Government.
Councillor Bloomfield thanked Mrs Pujol for taking the time to address the
Steering group."
