Sky high demand for housing has seen 27 people bid to move into one Stockton home, a meeting has heard.
Councillors heard how inflation and rising costs were beginning to bite when it came to the authority’s own finances this week. But pressures facing tenants wanting a home were also laid bare at the latest Stockton executive scrutiny committee.
Newtown councillor Paul Weston told councillors he’d spoken to a housing provider who’d reported a staggering 27 bids for one “decent enough” property. He added: “Is there any provision or something that can be looked at to provide social housing?”
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“Is there the means to look at that?” Stockton’s last housing needs assessment up to 2032 stated more than 3,500 “affordable homes” were needed to meet demand in the borough.
But Stockton’s 2019 local plan – which sets out housing needs for the next decade – said the vision cannot fully meet the need set out for affordable homes. Teesside councils own very few of their own homes now – with hundreds sold off to housing associations and social housing firms in the past two decades.
Finance and regeneration chief Garry Cummings told Cllr Weston housing demand was a “really difficult subject” with no one answer to solve the pressures. Mr Cummings said: “We’re looking at all different tenures and housing mixes and working with all sorts of providers on what they can do on sites.”
The senior officer explained there “wasn’t the money there” for the councils to invest in creating their own homes. He added: “The way we do it is we work with registered providers and how we can help them – the Victoria Estate is an example where they have worked with us and taken ownership of it.”
A total of 14 rented bungalows have been lined up at the former Elm House flats in Stockton town centre. Managing director Julie Danks said they looked at pockets of land for housing and other uses alongside Thirteen and other registered providers where they could.
She added: “We’re very conscious of the demand out there – so if the council can step in with some of our land, that’s something which can be looked at.” Thirteen officials have said the firm is continuing to invest in affordable housing with plans to deliver 4,500 homes in the next five years.
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