Affordable homes target is falling behind

The figure is meant to be reached in 20 years

PLANS to build more than 2,000 affordable homes in the borough over two decades are behind target.

According to a core strategy, agreed by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, between 2006 and 2026 some 2,090 new dwellings need to be delivered.

A decade number of in and the completions stands at 828, below the 1,045 middle mark.

Permissions have been given for a further 56 affordable homes as part of larger developments but this only brings the total to 884.

The figures were presented to members of the council’s scrutiny committee at their latest meeting.

They were told challenges in delivering cheaper or rentable properties continued.

Reasons included not every development being big enough to require the provision of affordable housing, developers negotiating levels down, a slowdown in construction and the delay of both Barwell and Earl Shilton SUEs.

A new ruling from Government that affordable housing was not required on sites with 10 dwellings or less has also hit numbers - particularly in rural areas where the council’s policy was that every development of four or more properties needed to have affordable homes.

Work is taking place however, to try and meet the deficit, councillors were assured. Some 68 homes are being built at Southfield Road in Hinckley thanks to a partnership with Westleigh Homes and Nottingham Community Housing Association. Of these 30 will be new council houses for rent.

Permission has been granted for construction of nine bungalows in Martinshaw Lane in Groby for council rentals and six one bedroom flats have been ‘gifted’ to the authority on a site in Coventry Road, after a lower S.106 payment was negotiated.

Here the developer demonstrated there was no interest from affordable homes providers in actually adding to the estate.