‘The way forward!’ South Holland District Council plan to buy 17 properties in Weston to bolster housing stock

A council’s plan to purchase 17 affordable homes has been described as ‘the way forward’.

South Holland District Council leader Nick Worth praised proposals to add to the authority’s housing stock and hopes more properties can be added to the portfolio in the coming years.

At last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting members voted in favour to push forward with plans to obtain 12 rented and five shared ownership homes in Weston as SHDC looks to replace council homes which have been acquired by residents under the Right To Buy scheme.

Deputy leader Coun Gary Taylor said the ‘exciting proposal’ was ‘maintaining a commitment to council housing’.

He added: “We all know many examples across this district where the Right To Buy policy, since it was launched in the 1980s, has helped many local people buy their house - transform their lives actually. Because a house is more than a house, it’s a home for a family.

“But we’re all well aware of the negative of that policy. That was not replacing the stock and that has now changed.”

The homes – comprising four one-bedroom, nine two-bedroom and four three-bedroom properties – are currently being built and are expected to be available for use in October, when rented homes will be made available to applicants on the housing register.

The accompanying report stated the council has a £1.3 million provision within the approved Capital Programme for HRA (Housing Revenue Account) housing development schemes’, while the authority is also currently looking into using Government match funding to purchase eight dwellings to help house refugees and the homeless.

Deputy leader and portfolio holder for Communities and Operational Housing, Coun Tracey Carter, said: “Twelve more rented properties are hugely needed and shared ownership is a really good opportunity for residents.”

Upon hearing these properties will be heated by gas boilers, Coun Bryan Alcock questioned whether the council was ‘seeking to try to influence developers’ to install solar panels or ground source heat pumps on future properties.

“In the ideal world that’s where we should go,” Coun Worth responded.

“But this comes down to costs and affordability, no doubt.”

Coun Worth continued: “To me it’s a really good news story and I think it’s the way forward.

“I hope we will be doing a lot more of this over the coming year or two.

“We need to replace those houses that are being bought under Right To Buy and it’s great for us to be able to provide affordable housing for people in the district.”

The proposals will now be discussed at full council.