Home >> council >> departments >> housing07/10/2008 09:01:54

Affordable Housing in Fareham

What is Affordable Housing?

The Government has defined affordable housing in Planning Policy Statement 3 Housing (this is an external hyperlink), published by Communities and Local Government on 29 November 2006 and supported by the accompanying document Delivering Affordable Housing (this is an external hyperlink). Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. The terms 'affordability' and 'affordable housing' have different meanings. 'Affordability' is a measure of whether housing may be afforded by certain groups of households. 'Affordable housing' refers to particular products outside the main housing market.

 

Social rented housing is: Rented housing owned and managed by Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime (this is an external hyperlink). It may also include rented housing owned or managed by other persons and provided under the equivalent rental arrangements to the above. Normally, only households on Local Authority and Registered Social Landlord registers are eligible for social rented housing. In the case of Fareham Council this is referred to as the Housing Waiting List and the majority of local social rented properties either Council owned or Registered Social Landlord owned are allocated in this manner.

 

Intermediate affordable housing is: Housing at prices and rents above those of social rent, but below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria set out above. These can include shared equity products - also known as shared ownership (HomeBuy) (this is an external hyperlink) other low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent (this is an external hyperlink). The definition does not exclude homes provided by private sector bodies or provided without grant funding. Where such homes meet the definition above, they may be considered, for planning purposes, as affordable housing. Whereas, those homes that do not meet the definition, for example, 'low cost market' housing, may not be considered, for planning purposes, as affordable housing.

Fareham Borough Council's Role

Fareham Borough Council no longer directly provides new housing for rent, but works closely with other organisations, especially Housing Associations, enabling them to build new homes or to acquire existing dwellings, for households that require rented accommodation.

 

The provision of new permanent or temporary rented accommodation and opportunities to help existing tenants and people on the housing register to purchase a low cost home is influenced by Fareham Borough Council through:

  • Providing funding from the Housing Capital Programme in the form of grants to Housing Associations;
  • Supporting housing associations in their bids for direct grant funding from the National Affordable Homes Agency;
  • Providing land owned by Fareham Borough Council to enable Housing Associations to build new housing;
  • Negotiating with developers to ensure that a percentage of new house building on privately owned land is provided for households that cannot afford to buy on the open market. (This could be in the form of rented accommodation or low cost sale such as shared ownership schemes);
  • Making available and promoting a range of schemes to help existing Fareham Borough Council and Housing Association tenants and those on the housing register to purchase their own home;
  • Undertaking surveys to ensure that the type of dwellings provided are appropriate to the needs of the people of Fareham.

On 22nd June 2006, Fareham Borough Council adopted a new Housing Strategy (147 Kb) PDF Logo.  The Housing Needs Survey in 2004 identified that in order to meet the Affordable Housing demand within the Borough, 495 dwellings per annum need to be built but this target was deemed to be unachievable.  In light of the rising level of local housing need, Fareham Borough Council has adopted a target of 100 affordable homes per annum as a Priority Corporate Objective and will aim to meet this target through appropriate policies.  

What are Housing Associations or Registered Social Landlords?

Housing Associations (or Registered Social Landlords (RSL)) are regulated by Government through the National Affordable Homes Agency (this is an external hyperlink) and operate within strict regulatory codes. They are the main providers of new social housing in the country.

 

Fareham Borough Council no longer builds new homes of its own, with new affordable homes in the Borough generally provided by one of the Council's preferred Housing Association partners. On occasions, Housing Associations outside of the partnership will bring sites forward for development or provide additional homes in the area in consultation with the Council.

 

Fareham Borough Council reserves the right to nominate households into these newly built properties through the Housing Waiting List. The Housing Association then becomes the landlord of the new tenants who subsequently move in.   If you are dissatisfied with the services of a Housing Association the first step is to contact the association directly and try to resolve the problem through their formal complaints procedure.  Should you still be dissatisfied, you may take your complaint to the Independent Housing Ombudsman (this is an external hyperlink). If your complaint is against the services provided by Fareham Council, this will be managed through the Council's Corporate Complaints Procedure and should you remain dissatisfied you may refer your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman (this is an external hyperlink).

Affordable Housing Strategy 2006-2009

Fareham Borough Council has produced a new Affordable Housing Strategy (147 Kb) PDF Logo covering the period 2006-2009.

 

David Couttie Associates were commissioned by Fareham Borough Council in 2004 to undertake a Housing Needs Survey. The results of this identified the need for an additional 495 affordable homes per annum, this being 157% of the whole housing allocation from the County Structure Plan of 316 dwellings per annum.  A target of 100 affordable homes per annum as a Priority Corporate Objective has been set and Fareham Borough Council is also exploring innovative ways of achieving 175 units per annum by 2007.

 

Affordable Housing Strategy Addendum - July 2007 (91 Kb) PDF Logo

Affordable Housing Startegy Addendum 2 - July 2008 (171Kb) PDF Logo

 

The two addendums to the Affordable Housing Strategy, meets the requirement to provide an annual update on progress in delivering the affordable housing programme and to take into account any modifications required by external influences, such as Government policy and housing need.  The Affordable Housing Strategy 2006-09 was developed concurrent with the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), and adopted on 5 December 2005.  Changes to the SPD will be part of a wider consultation process linked to the development of the Local Development Framework (LDF).  Both addendums address matters that are solely dependent on housing strategy rather than planning policy.

 

The Council is currently developing a new Affordable Housing Strategy to cover the period 2009-2012.

 

What is Low Cost Home Ownership?

By following this link you will be able to find out more about Low Cost Home Ownership and the Homebuy products. You can also contact the HomesinHants (this is an external hyperlink) team who will be able to provide you with further infromation on the HomeBuy products available in Fareham.

 

Current Affordable Housing Programme

A considerable amount of new affordable housing is currently being developed in the Borough. Fareham Borough Council ensures that, on appropriate sites, an element of affordable housing is provided for local people who are unable to afford to buy or rent on the open market. The units are developed in partnership with a Housing Association and may be for social rent, low cost home ownership, or intermediate rental. Both Fareham Borough Council and its Housing Association partners also seek out other development opportunities, for example on surplus Fareham Borough Council land. Details of recent and current developments.

 

Fareham Borough Council's three preferred partners are currently:

Other Housing Associations have stock within the Borough but the above partners procure most new affordable housing.

National Recognition for Fareham Affordable Housing Scheme

Portsmouth Housing Association's scheme of 18 flats at Sharland Place, Bishopsfield Rd was awarded the Best New Housing Scheme at the National Housing Excellence Awards 2005.