Low cost homes launch offers lifeline for young families

Young people and families face being forced to leave the parish communities they grew up in, because they can’t afford a home.

That is the reality behind the launch this week of the South Norfolk Council Low Cost Housing Project, which aims to provide low rent, affordable homes in as many small parishes as possible.

And to help boost the project, the council has appointed Saffron Housing Trust as its lead partner.

Now the Council and the Trust are holding a launch of the project and have invited representatives from South Norfolk’s parish councils to come to the District Council offices in Long Stratton, between 5pm and 8pm on Tuesday 29 January.

The launch will be an opportunity to meet expert Councillors and Council and Trust staff to discuss how the parish councils can help in delivering these new homes. Both the Council and the Trust want parish councils to better understand how the project will work and the benefits it will bring.

They are urging parish council’s to back the project, and are confident they will want to help keep their communities vibrant as well as help those families and young people who want to stay in the communities where they grew up.

Councillor Derek Blake, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and the Built Environment said:

“One of our Manifesto priority commitments was to deliver more low cost housing for local people. We are doing this, and they will be mainly funded by the Right to Buy money. This project demonstrates our determination to deliver on our promises.

“This year, we have already delivered more affordable homes across South Norfolk than ever before and we aim for continuous improvement.

“We have produced a series of leaflets about our new project, and these are available on our website.”

Adam Ronaldson, Chief Executive of Saffron, said:

"Saffron is excited about the project that fits with our continuing focus of work in the communities of South Norfolk. To provide housing for local people is a key task that helps to build stronger communities throughout the area."

Homes built under this project will be prioritised for local people in the parish, or people with strong local connections to the parish.

If there are any homes which are not let, they will be available to people from the next-door parish or adjacent parishes.

The homes will be advertised through the Home Options scheme and will be for people in housing need.

The initiative aims to provide homes in as many of the smaller parishes as possible, initially concentrating on villages where there are adequate facilities to make it a vibrant place to live. The number of homes built is likely to be between two and eight, but it could be more, depending on an assessment of need.

Given the small numbers involved, Saffron Housing Trust may have to develop homes schemes in clusters of parishes to reduce costs.

Both the Council and the Trust will be using some of their own money to fund these homes, although the majority of the funding will come from Central Government’s funding body - the Housing Corporation.

Saffron will develop own and manage the homes, and the rents will be set at a level agreed with the Housing Corporation.

Web links

• Low Cost Housing Project leaflets

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