Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Housing and Community which updated Members on progress of the Improvement Delivery Plan of Priority 1 and Priority 3 of the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2019-2024 (Part A).  An updated Improvement Delivery Plan and a summary of all the actions achieved since the Strategy’s inception was attached to the report at Appendices A and B respectively.  Members’ attention was drawn to some of the key highlights, as follows:

PRIORITY 1: Increasing the Supply of Housing

The Council was actively seeking to broaden the range of Registered Providers (RP) of affordable housing operating in Rother and had benefitted from the delivery of wholly affordable housing sites across the district in 2021/22 and 2022/23.  The Council’s primary RP was Southern Housing Association (formerly Optivo) and it was essential that sites were progressed for RPs to deliver affordable housing provision.  At present there was a slow-down in new sites and the Housing Team was actively working with RPs to address this. 

Members were advised that schemes had progressed at Rosewood Park and Worsham Farm in Bexhill and Tollgates and Lily Bank in Battle.  A further scheme was scheduled to be completed and started to the south and north of North Trade Road, Battle respectively.  The Council was actively challenging viability appraisals on sites that no longer provided affordable housing.

A 15-unit scheme had been completed in Icklesham led by the Icklesham Parish Community Land Trust with support from the Sussex Community Housing Hub (SCHH); 12 homes for social rent and three affordable housing ownership homes for local people.  A second site was being identified.  The SCHH was also supporting the Bexhill Community Land Trust with the acquisition and redevelopment of the site at Cemetery Lodge.  Additional sites were also being considered in Beckley, Burwash, Fairlight, Guestling, Pett and Rye, and funded from the Council’s Community Housing Fund.  Section 106 obligations were also being obtained to support these projects.

The Rother DC Housing Company Ltd Business Plan (2022 to 2025) sought to deliver 1,000 new build homes over 15 years.  Priorities for 2023/24 were to continue to deliver the 200 dwelling Blackfriars scheme, as well as the wider aims and objectives identified within the plan.

Progress on the new local plan was ongoing and in relation to planning for new housing supply, the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment was being completed in-house with assistance from relevant consultants.  In addition, a Technical Advice Note for 100% Affordable Housing had been formally approved by full Council.

PRIORITY 3: Improving the quality and suitability of existing housing and new build housing

During 2021/22 and up to December 2022, a total of 107 inspections were completed (including 35 temporary accommodation dwellings).  The Warm Home Check service, run by East Sussex County Council, was promoted and discussed during the inspections, and provided energy efficiency advice and financial advice around heating.  Work to identify residential schemes using Modern Methods of Construction was ongoing and would continue throughout 2023/24.

During the discussion the following salient points were noted:

•     it was disappointing to note that the development at Goddens Gill, Northiam would not deliver any affordable housing due to viability issues;

•     it was apparent in some areas where the private rented sector costs had increased, multi-generational living was becoming more common and affordable housing becoming scarcer;

•     social housing, the lack thereof and quality was an issue for many residents;

•     the issue of developers promising an element of affordable housing in schemes at planning permission stage only to be ruled out later down the line due to viability issues, needed to be addressed;

•     it was hoped that the current Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ current consultation on reforms to national planning policy would address the issues of viability;

•     an aspirational, long term project to create a new village within the Rother district could accommodate more housing;

•     short term, the use of pre-fabricated building techniques over land in Rother District Council ownership, such as car parks, could be considered; the Council could also look to work with small builders and provide the capital for building projects; and

•     under Priority Objective 3.2, could the number of homes a year be improved due to licensing or statutory notices being served be increased from a minimum of five to 10.

The suggestions and ideas discussed would be brought to the attention of the Council’s Housing Company via the Head of Housing and Community.

RESOLVED:  That:

1)   Cabinet be requested to agree that the ‘targets achieved’ as listed in Appendix B to the report be removed from the Improvement Delivery Plan and replaced with the amended targets proposed at Appendix A to the report, with the following amendment:

Priority Objective 3.2 – 10 homes a year be improved due to licensing or statutory notices being served; and

2)   the progress made against the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy included in the Improvement Delivery Plan (Appendix A to the report) be noted.

(When it first became apparent, Councillors Clark and Courtel each declared a Personal Interest in this matter as Directors of Rother District Council Housing Company Ltd and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the meeting during the consideration thereof).