Plans for 112 houses in The Meadows being considered this week are among thousands of new homes enabled by the City Council.
But the council is hoping for greater funding and freedoms in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement tomorrow to build or facilitate even more new homes.
Over 2,600 homes – many of which are affordable housing – have been recently completed, are currently being built or are in the pipeline enabled by the council. This includes 274 being built by Nottingham City Homes (NCH).
It means the council is well on target for increasing the number of new houses that Nottingham people can afford to buy or rent by 2019. This is being achieved through proactive interventions such as the sale of council land, supporting bids to funders such as Homes & Communities Agency, working in partnership with landowners/developers, as well as buying houses to increase the Council’s own housing stock.
The City Council is also bringing empty homes back into use, with 126 last year and a further 72 so far this year. Many empty properties are privately owned and cause a blight on neighbourhoods, falling into disrepair, becoming vandalised and not contributing to the local economy. The council’s Empty Homes team help private owners or take enforcement action to bring houses back into use.
The latest proposed new housing development is for 112 homes on Arkwright Walk in The Meadows, which will be considered by the City Council’s Planning Committee this Wednesday. It forms part of a regeneration of the area that includes the new tram links and a re-opening of a historic link from the city centre to Trent Bridge.
Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Jane Urquhart, said: “We are recognised by the Homes & Communities Agency as doing a good job of facilitating the development of new homes in the city. We’re pleased with our progress but it’s vital we continue to provide more homes that local people can afford.
“We are hoping that this urgent need will be recognised in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement tomorrow and that he will provide greater freedoms and funding for councils to bring new affordable housing onto the market.”
Housing development schemes the council has been involved in delivering include:
Completed
- Stonebridge, St Ann’s – So far the regeneration scheme has seen 221 homes completed – with 41 currently under construction by Keepmoat which is the last phase of new build due to be complete in January 2017. The overall regeneration scheme has been delivered in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency, ASRA Housing Group, Department of Health, Keepmoat and NCH
- Various citywide – The City Council has supported Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) in various schemes across the city such as the recently completed Beechdale Road site which has delivered 25 affordable homes, Squires Avenue, Bulwell (24 homes) and the site of the former Radford Mill (67 homes)
Underway
- Trent Basin, Colwick – 45 new homes completed, with 41 further proposed in the second of five phases. The council acquired the land and is working with its Joint Venture Company partner Blueprint to deliver high quality homes over the next five years.
- Edwards Lane – facilitated by the sale of Council owned land Strata Homes are building 86 new houses on the former Haywood School site.
- Various citywide – The City Council is also supporting Nottingham Community Housing Association on various schemes which are currently on site including 47 new affordable homes at Ascot Road, Bobbersmill and 22 new homes on the former Globe Public House & Gardens Street Factory Site in Radford.
Due to start
- A number of council-owned sites –30 new Independent Living homes are to be built on the former Stepney Court site at Strelley and as well as the 142 new homes NCH are already providing in Lenton, works will soon be starting to provide another 17 homes for affordable rent at Church Square.
In the pipeline
- The Council are currently working with partners to enable over 100 new homes on Denewood Crescent, Strelley and approx. 285 at Clifton West