Affordable Homes Programme Archives - Beverley Property Guide

BOOST FOR EAST RIDING’S AFFORDABLE HOMES PROGRAMME

Jul 142011

The Homes and Communities Agency has today announced the successful bidders to its £1.8bn investment programme who will deliver more than 150,000 affordable homes nationwide during 2011 – 2015.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is one of 26 local authorities across the country that was successful in securing funding to allow just over 150 new homes to be provided, with the added benefit of providing continuing employment in the construction industry on a programme of around £18million. Further housing will also be provided by housing associations working in the East Riding.

The Council’s bid included a range of schemes in towns and villages across the East Riding involving both new building and refurbishing existing homes and will provide high quality housing to meet the needs of local people.

Councillor Symon Fraser, cabinet portfolio holder for housing, environment and planning at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, was delighted with the announcement.

He said “This is very welcome news. The funding will allow us to continue to build much needed affordable housing in the East Riding, and will also help to support jobs in construction and related areas.

“We are very grateful to the Homes and Communities Agency for continuing to support us as we tackle the shortage of affordable housing in the East Riding. We know that there were huge demands on this funding programme, and that regional officers must have lobbied strongly on our behalf to secure this level of funding.”

Officers will now enter into further formal contract negotiations with the Homes and Communities Agency to enable the programme to begin in April 2012.

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AFFORDABLE RENT

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Jul 142011

The Government’s new Affordable Homes Programme is based on the introduction of a new and more flexible form of social housing, known as Affordable Rent.

Affordable rented homes will be let at rents up to a maximum of 80% of open market rent, and can be offered on flexible tenancies which will run for at least two years. Charging higher, but still affordable, rents will allow housing associations and local authorities to raise money through borrowing to fund the development of new affordable homes with much lower levels of grant than were previously available.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s successful bid to the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme 2011-2015 will mean that the new homes it provides will be let at Affordable Rents. A small proportion of its existing homes will also be converted to Affordable Rents when tenants move out and the homes are re-let to new tenants from the Council’s waiting list.

Whilst existing residents might have concerns, rents for existing tenants will not be affected.

Councillor Symon Fraser, cabinet portfolio holder for housing, environment and planning at East Riding of Yorkshire Council said

“We share the concerns that residents will inevitably have about these changes to future rent levels which we have no choice but to follow if we are going to deliver new affordable homes in the East Riding. We will do our best to ensure that the impacts are minimised and where we can we will try to reduce fuel bills through the installation of new technologies and eco-improvements, and keep the overall cost of living in the homes to a minimum.”

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