Agenda item

Report of the Director for Housing, Regeneration, and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for House Building, Place-Making and Development.

The report will ask Cabinet to approve a draft new Housing Strategy for Haringey and to agree to commence a consultation on this new Housing Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for House Building, Place-Making, and Development introduced the report which asked Cabinet to approve a draft new Housing Strategy for Haringey and to agree to commence a consultation on this new Housing Strategy.

            It was explained that the existing Housing Strategy was for 2017-2022 and that a new strategy needed to be developed. The proposed Housing Strategy would be for 2022-2027 and set out four key aspects: delivering new homes, improving the quality of homes and services for the social hosing sector, improving conditions in the private rented sector, and preventing and alleviating homelessness. It was added that the strategy also acknowledged the importance of responding to the climate emergency and of ensuring that the Council worked holistically across services.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions from the Cabinet:

-       It was acknowledged that there was a need for consistency and joint working across Council services. In relation to a query about Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), it was noted that officers were working to align licensing and planning policies to ensure clarity for all parties.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions from Councillor Cawley-Harrison:

-       It was stated that most new build scheme council homes would have air source heat pumps which would be connected to the District Energy Network (DEN) and this would make it cheaper to heat homes. It was noted that some homes may need to use gas boilers as a temporary solution before new units were connected to the DEN. It was added that new council homes would be targeting high standards of sustainability which were being achieved on a number of schemes.

-       In relation to queries about the accessibility of council homes, it was explained that the Council Housing Delivery Programme was delivering wheelchair accessible and adaptable homes. It was also highlighted that the Council was taking an innovative approach to designing bespoke homes which would be made specifically for residents who could not be housed in existing provision. It was noted that the Council had identified approximately 200 households who would benefit from the bespoke housing programme.  

-       It was noted that the Council had missed housing delivery targets over the last few years and it was enquired how delivery would be increased. It was explained that the Council’s performance in delivering housing, as required by the Housing Delivery Test, had been improving. It was noted that, since January 2022, the Council no longer faced the presumption in favour of sustainable development penalty. It was stated that, although housing delivery was not always in the Council’s direct control, the housebuilding programme would assist with meeting delivery targets. It was added that the Council had published a Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for the last few years which set out a plan to bring forward housing delivery as much as possible.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the Draft Housing Strategy attached at Appendix 1.

2.    To agree to hold a public consultation, alongside other forms of participation and engagement, later in 2022.

3.    To delegate to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Placemaking and Development, approval of final consultation documentation.

Reasons for decision

Haringey’s current Housing Strategy runs from 2017-2022. A new Housing Strategy  therefore needs to be developed.

As a key policy document for the Council and Borough, the Housing Strategy is  subject to statutory consultation. In addition to this statutory requirement, the Council  is committed to enabling residents to actively participate in service design and strategy development. Following engagement and consultation, a final Housing  Strategy will be developed and presented to Cabinet for approval.

The Housing Strategy forms part of the Council’s Policy Framework. As such, the  final Housing Strategy will be presented to Full Council for approval.

Alternative options considered

Not to develop a new Housing Strategy. This was rejected because, even though a  Housing Strategy is not a statutory document, it is an important part of the Council’s policy framework and sets the direction of travel for housing.