Council given flats in deal with developer

Affordable homes unwanted

FLATS earmarked as affordable housing on a new estate just outside Hinckley town centre will now be sold on the open market.

As part of a deal with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Redrow Homes pledged to build 16 units for those in dire need of housing on its 122-home development on Coventry Road.

However, neither the developer nor the borough council has been successful in securing a housing association to take on the apartments at Park View.

It is not known why this is the case but it could be due to housing associations not having the funds to buy the properties, having enough properties to deal with already or being reluctant to take on the type of property offered.

As an alternative to losing the affordable units altogether, discussions have resulted in the Borough Council being ‘gifted’ five of the one-bedroom flats, with one sold to them at a discount.

The other 10 apartments will be sold by Redrow. During negotiations over the development of the former Jarvis Porter factory site, the council had requested 25 affordable homes but Redrow provided evidence this would make the venture financially unviable.

Ward representative Councillor Stuart Bray said: “It is always disappointing when muchneeded affordable housing isn’t being delivered, however, the positive thing is six units will come to the council’s housing stock.”

David Sammons, partnership manager for Redrow Homes, said: “The number and mix of social or affordable housing provided as part of any new homes venture is subject to negotiation with the local authority and decided on a case by case basis as part of the planning process.

“As part of our Park View development we agreed with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council that we would build 16 affordable homes, offering a mixture of one and twobedroom apartments. We asked registered social housing providers in the area if they wanted to purchase the apartments but none took up the offer, with several declining due to capacity.

“Following discussions with the council as to how we could fulfil our obligations we are now gifting five apartments to the council and selling one to them at a discount. The remaining 10 apartments will be sold on the open market.”