The Isle of Wight Council has taken a positive step in being able to help bring forward housing that Islanders can truly afford.
The draft Housing Affordability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides clear guidance on the types of affordable housing most needed on the Island — with a clear focus on social and affordable rented properties.
The document adopted by Cabinet on Thursday evening, also explains how the affordable housing process works, from planning permission through to the occupation of homes.
During June and July this year, the council invited comments on the draft SPD which, once adopted, will be used in planning decision-making.
The council received a good number of consultation responses from a wide range of people including members of the public, registered providers of affordable housing and town, parish and community councils.
Councillor Paul Fuller, Cabinet member for planning, said the SPD would provide the council with another tool to help bring about affordable housing that was right for local people.
He said:
“We had a good response to the consultation and I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to respond.
Article continues below this advertisement “We have made changes to the document to address a number of the comments received, including more references to registered providers and the role they can play in delivering affordable housing, while also recognising the flexibility that is needed when considering the mix of different affordable homes that might be suitable in different locations.”
Councillor Ian Stephens, Cabinet member for housing, said:
“Adopting the Housing Affordability SPD will help us to ensure that any affordable housing that is secured through the planning system is focused on the types of affordable homes we desperately need locally.
“The revised document also makes it clear that innovative affordable housing products that help to meet island residents needs are welcome.”
Please could the planners think ‘Healthcare’ when thinking ‘Housing’ we are not adequately looking after the present population in terms of GPs and Dentists especially, but the Hospital is also seriously overloaded.
A document of many words that says virtually nothing, something the council are emminently qualified. The one and only way you can control the building of affordable housing is to do it yourselves but as the council is toying with bankcruptcy that will never happen, telling housebuilders to build and sell at a price the council considers affordable will not happen, why should it. Innovative housing solutions, shipping crates in fields with windows cut into them. Micropods in council car parks for the homeless, its just a race to the bottom.
If Housing associations allocated their houses faster instead of leaving them empty for months it would help
The council allocate homes, not housing associations.
Just let people live in mobile homes all year round. Problem solved.
The only way affordable housing can be ” made ” to exist is to re-balance supply and demand. The ” Town and Country Planning ” system has decimated that balance over the last 4 decades by resisting sensible new housing development – they have failed in their task of ” Town Planning “. It’s not rocket science – If you have a large demand and a small supply prices will go up !!. This can only benefit those who already have.
Should also stop mainland people buying them as second homes.
A lot of sexy words here, Affordable, how much ? Suitable mix, what does that mean? Island residents needs.
As soon as a family is imported they become residents don’t they. Same old, same old. Are the council really interested in the islands youngsters needing a place of their own, or do they see them as cash cows producing council tax ? Infrastructure is given no thought . Medical care, the hospital, doctors dentists, schools and traffic.
Of course genuine island family’s need homes of their own. Lets help our own.
The problem seems to be based on unrealistic expectations. Obviously, if some young people on the island are on low wages, then they can only buy what they can afford. A couple on minimum wage and a few years savings can still buy a flat or a terraced house in Newport or elsewhere. Then they can work their way up the housing ladder like most of us did. The people moaning about a lack of affordable housing seem to imagine that they should be entitled to a house where they live currently even if it is an expensive area. There are plenty of cheap terrace houses and flats for sale on the island. Be realistic and stop moaning about “mainlanders” because they are not buying those cheap terraced houses and flats.
Please show us where these cheap houses are then as a 1 bedroom flat is over 140,000 on the island, a couple on minimum wage wouldn’t be able to save a deposit for a 10 years let alone also be able to afford a flat or house. I’m not sure what island or world you live in but it’s clearly not the same as the rest of us.