A second wave of affordable homes, including the chance for a group of residents to ‘build their own’, is to be pushed ahead by councillors.
After last week’s announcement that Severnside Housing had received £1.8m from the Housing Corporation to provide almost 50 new affordable homes, Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council has outlined plans for a further 41. A report to Monday’s cabinet meeting urges the council to provide various pockets of land within its holdings, make extra funds available as soon as possible and endorse a ‘self build group initiative’.
Assistant council manager Gareth Owens said the council had been introduced to a group of people who wanted to be involved and do some of the work themselves.
“Their principal aim is environmental, whilst we are talking about building to the Eco Homes Standard level three they want to do level six,” he said.
Meanwhile, portfolio holder for housing, Councillor Malcolm Price, plans to package together some of the smaller sites in order to bid for more Housing Corporation funding. Mr Owens said developments of fewer than ten affordable homes would otherwise not be considered eligible.
The council is expected to retain the freehold of most of the 41 properties, contracting their management to an agent and using a certain number for temporary accommodation. This would enable it to surrender the lease on a like number rented for that purpose from Severnside, making them available for social rent.
The council will fund the new homes with £10m already set aside plus money from ‘strategic land sales’.
Sites earmarked for the 41 homes are: Morris Close (1), Hodgkinson Walk (3), Overstone Avenue (3), Little Harlescott Lane (1), Corbett Close (8), Lambourne Road (1), Everley Close (1), Shaw Road (1), Sutton Lane (2), Upper Hereford Road (3), Upton Lane (8), Chatford Drive (2) St Michael’s Street old public conveniences (2), Percy Street (1), Radbrook Road (3), Shorncliffe Road (2), Kirkland Avenue (2) and New Banks, Grafton (14). Planning permission is yet to be secured.