Housing Development Strategy - Report - Page 9
New Build
Our Housing Strategy identifies a broad need for new affordable homes for rent. A large proportion of these
need to be 1 and 2 bedroom properties, reflecting the large proportion of single people and couples within the
existing Council housing stock who may relocate and free up larger properties, creating more efficient use of our
properties. To meet need in our district a variety of dwelling types and sizes will be built but the priority will be to
provide smaller family houses and accommodation.
We will also seek to provide homes for shared ownership (a form of low-cost home ownership). The Council’s
Strategic Housing Market Assessment report has identified of all the homes required by 2036 the need for this
type of tenure is not insignificant (9% within the former Waveney area and 7% within the former Suffolk Coastal
area). Our own shared ownership units will help meet this need and will attract grant funding from Homes
England as well as helping to cross subsidise the rented housing being provided by us. We have received funding
from Homes England’s SOAHP programme (2016-21) to build a small number of shared ownership homes over
the next 3 years to 2021 ensuring a range of housing solutions are provided for our local communities.
We will consider acquiring Section 106 new build properties on new developments (a s106 is a legal agreement
between the Council and developers linked to planning permissions and can also be known as planning
obligations) to help us meet our challenging development objectives, subject to the properties meeting our
desired standard and requirements. This has not occurred frequently in the past but it is recognised that housing
associations alone have a limited capacity to acquire affordable housing, as well as sometimes being reluctant
to invest in the more remote rural parts of the area and smaller schemes. The Council will continue to work
closely with housing associations to encourage them to provide new affordable housing in the district. Where
commuted sums are received these provide further opportunities for the delivery of affordable housing by the
Council or other registered social landlords.
The provision of more homes across the north of the district will be given initial priority as most affordable land
opportunities are in the Lowestoft area where an existing management and maintenance structure exists, but
we also recognise the need and opportunities to develop in the south of the district to spread our housing stock
over the whole district, and extend our management and maintenance services accordingly.
Our Actions
6 - Develop a 3 year
indicative programme
of shared ownership
and shared equity
housing across the
district and publish it
annually.
7 - Consider all
developments with
S106 new builds to
consider viability.
8 - Potential
development sites
across the district
to be reviewed and
negotiations to be
carried out following
necessary approvals.
9 - Establish effective
working relationships
with a range of
development
partners.
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