Drastic action needed over housing shortage (From Gazette & Herald)

Drastic action needed over housing shortage

A MAJOR action plan has been drawn up by Ryedale District Council (RDC) to help deal with the area's acute shortage of affordable homes.

Rocketing prices of property, especially in beauty-spot villages where many homes are bought by commuters who travel to and from York and Leeds, has resulted in hundreds of local people being unable to afford to live in the communities where they were brought up or want to reside.

A report to be considered by RDC's community services and licensing committee tomorrow night (Thursday) reveals that Ryedale needs 306 affordable homes a year. Current estimates are that there are likely to be only a handful provided unless drastic action is taken.

Richard Etherington, the housing services manager, says the current overall shortfall of accommodation is 240 affordable homes. Malton and Norton has a particular shortage. He warns: "It is important that every possible opportunity is taken to resolve the affordable housing issue."

Mr Etherington is putting forward a catalogue of solutions to the council. They include:

Buying potential development land.

Buying property which could then be let.

Jointly funding "brownfield" and similar difficult sites, with a housing association for home building.

"Exception" sites for affordable-only housing.

Development of a home-buy scheme.

Providing a new homeless hostel.

Developing an empty property strategy.

Providing housing for people with special needs.

Extending the 'Living over the Shop' scheme.

Helping householders remain in their homes.

Mr Etherington says a district-wide housing-needs survey has revealed a lack of affordable housing in both the public and private sectors. The council has been hit by the Government's decision to end the Local Authority Social Housing Grant Scheme, but it has made an application for £680,000, on which a decision is still awaited.

"There is still the possibility of some support for affordable housing through the Housing Corporation if bids from housing associations are sufficiently robust," he said.

Councillors are to be asked which options they want to target to provide the much-needed extra accommodation.

On the "exception sites" proposal, Mr Etherington says that approval could be given for affordable homes where development would not normally be allowed. RDC would provide financial support to partner associations to develop them.

Under a home-buy scheme, a grant of 25pc would be provided to individuals meeting agreed criteria and a restrictive covenant would be put on the property on any future resale.

The empty property strategy would see financial incentives being offered to owners of homes which have stood empty for long periods. They would be encouraged to bring them back into use which would, says Mr Etherington, have the dual benefit of enhancing their visual appearance, and provide the council with tax.

Mr Etherington says the number of applications from homeless people has nearly doubled in the last 12 months. "There is a pressing need to secure more temporary accommodation," he says. The issue of affordable housing for people with special needs is a particular concern in Ryedale, says the report.

"The issue of affordability not only applies to people seeking to acquire a home, but is also a major concern for those who are unable to afford their existing accommodation, and the funding of on-going maintenance, repair or improvement work."

However, says Mr Etherington: "The decision to support the provision of affordable housing will have an adverse effect on the rest of the council's capital programme."

Brian Clark, director of Ryedale Housing Association (RHA), says it has 900 Ryedale people on its waiting list for accommodation. They are from a wide range, he said, especially families, single people, and the elderly.

RHA was constantly looking for suitable sites but they were hard to find within existing communities. However, two sites are "live", he said, and it was hoped they might be developed.

Updated: 11:06 Wednesday, July 16, 2003