Issue - meetings

[Report of the Strategic Director for Planning, Regeneration and Development. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning.]

Report setting out proposed new Intermediate Housing Policy in the context of the adopted Housing Strategy following public consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning introduced the report which set out a new Intermediate Housing Policy Statement. This expanded on the policy for consultation, taking into account the results of the consultation. It also reflected changes in the policy environment, in particular the new Mayor’s Draft Housing Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning Member emphasised that where intermediate homes are built in the borough, the policy ensures that Haringey residents are first in line to benefit from them.

The Council also wanted to ensure that intermediate homes are offered first to those on lower incomes, so that intermediate housing goes to those residents who will benefit from it most.

RESOLVED

1.          To approve the Intermediate Housing Policy Statement set out at appendix 1.

2.          To agree the changes to Appendix C of the Housing Strategy set out at appendix 2, and minor amendments to other appendices as set out at paragraph 6.16 of this report, and recommend that they be adopted by Full Council.

To recommended that Council:

3.          Agree and adopt the changes to Appendix C of the Housing Strategy set out in appendix 2, and the minor amendments to other appendices as set out at paragraph 6.16 of this report.

Reasons for decision

Intermediate housing is becoming an increasingly important part of the housing offer, as provided for in Haringey’s Housing Strategy. However, at present, the Council has no formal policy for prioritising who gets these intermediate homes, either for sale or for rent, neither does it have clearly articulated expectations on the types of products and affordability of these products that it would like to see.

This policy statement allows the Council to set out clear guidance on all these issues, in particular on local eligibility criteria, priority matrix, marketing requirements, tenure mix and products.

Alternative options considered

An alternative option would be not to set a priority matrix or marketing arrangements for intermediate housing. This option was rejected to ensure that intermediate housing is offered in the first place to those who will benefit from this most, and for whom market housing is most difficult to access. It also provides for Haringey residents to have greater priority access for intermediate housing products.

A separate alternative option would be not to amend Appendix C of the Housing Strategy. This was rejected partly since much of the content has been superseded by the Mayor’s Housing Strategy and partly because it is not fully aligned with the outcomes of the consultation on this policy.