Council could buy back homes sold under right to buy scheme

FORMER council homes sold off under the right to buy scheme are among properties set to be bought back by Vale of Glamorgan Council.

A new plan has been unveiled by the council which would allow it to buy back former council homes, run-down empty properties and new houses on the open market.

Vale of Glamorgan Council’s new policy sets out how it would buy more homes to “contribute to the provision of affordable or social housing”.

The council says it is “frequently” being approached by owners of former council homes looking to sell properties back, and it is also looking to take on “problematic” empty homes.

But the authority has not previously been able to buy former council homes or empty properties due to the lack of “policy guidance and an approval process”.

It comes as the Vale of Glamorgan needs an extra 576 new affordable homes every year to keep up with demand, according to a Local Housing Market Assessment in 2017.

A council report says: “Not only will this improve our ability to meet the housing needs of the people of the Vale of Glamorgan, it will also help us to finance and deliver a robust programme for continued investment in our existing homes.”

The new Housing and Property Acquisitions Policy, was approved in principle by the council’s ruling body on September 23.

The policy includes redeveloping the council’s existing housing stock, buying new-build homes and working with developers to secure council properties on new housing sites.

The council’s Housing Business Plan has allocated £236m over the next 30 years towards the development of new council homes.

The cabinet has agreed to refer the policy to a council scrutiny committee before a final decision is made.