Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Hughes introduced the report which provided an update on the progress of the Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) housebuilding programme for Social, Affordable Rent and Shared Equity properties.

            The report also set out changes in housing need, and the rationale for reviewing and revising the tenure types for future property development.  The report also covered the complementary delivery routes being actively pursued alongside North East Wales (NEW) Homes including the acquisition of Section 106 properties, Design and Build Packages and the availability of the Housing Construction North and Mid-Wales Framework Agreement.

Flintshire was one of the first local authorities in Wales to start building social and affordable housing through its Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) with the aim of delivering up to 500 new Council Social Rented and Affordable Rented properties over a five year period, along with a number of broader economic and regeneration strategic priorities.

The Council was in the process of delivering 447 new homes into Flintshire, in addition it hasd also delivered a further 148 new homes outside of the SHARP, which was a significant achievement and had created additional capacity within the housing market.

The build programmes were driven through housing need and currently on the SARTH register there were approximately 1,900 households with areas of highest demand being in Mold, Mynydd Isa, Buckley, Connahs Quay, Flint, Queensferry and Shotton. 

Tia Teg managed the Affordable Housing Register on behalf of the Council and there were currently 120 applicants registered for purchase and 216 registered for rent.  The specialist housing register had a total of 54 households currently on the register with 47 needing adapted properties and seven requiring properties with four bedrooms or more.

In relation to the Welsh Government (WG) Land Release Fund, the Council had been successful in its application for funding totalling £213,000 relating to two sites in Connah’s Quay which were currently stalled sites.  Desk top studies and Ground investigation work were currently in progress to establish if those sites would be viable.

The Housing Programme Team had been developing a regional housebuilding framework and sought to deliver future new housing through the regional Welsh construction companies.  The tender process had been completed and the Council was engaging with companies and discussing the future pipeline of projects.

There was an annual budget of £121,000 for investigation and feasibility studies in the SHARP and the report sought to utilise this to assist in bringing forward schemes using the new construction framework.

The Chief Officer (Housing and Assets) commented on the achievement of the delivery of the number of units to date.

            Members welcomed the report and commented on the result of the housing ballot undertaken in 2012 being the right outcome, which this report was proof of.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the progress with the Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme be noted;

(b)       That the use of delivery routes for new social and affordable rent homes including the Housing Construction North and Mid-Wales Framework Agreement be approved; and

(c)        That the re-allocation of £121k budget for scheme investigation and feasibility works to support new delivery routes be approved.