Issue - meetings

The Joint Housing Policy and Intelligence Officer presented a report which gave an update on the Housing Strategy 2021 – 2024’s Action Plan.  Due to some gaps in the update report further detail was given by Assistant Directors directly within the meeting.

Key Priority 1 – Providing Good Quality Housing

(Aim 1)           To date Bolsover Homes had delivered 16 homes with a further 21 to be handed over.  Work was also now commencing on site at The Woodlands in Langwith, where new sustainable construction methods would be used.  Further development was planned at Market Close, Shirebrook and two further sites were earmarked in Langwith.  There were also plans in place for the Woburn Close area in Blackwell.  In total all of this should lead to 120 properties.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury asked if building on old garage sites was an idea that had been explored. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that officers had batched them together in Pinxton and South Normanton, but doing the same in Clowne did not stack up financially.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury was concerned that because there was no Council owned land to build on in South Normanton, it would mean no Council Houses being built there. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs assured him that the Council was always looking for land to purchase, and the Dragonfly scheme was partly carried out in South Normanton.

Councillor David Dixon also requested that further discussions take place with Barlborough Parish in relation to garage sites within the locality.

Councillor Clive Moesby declared for transparency that he was the ward Councillor for Blackwell, where housing was planned.

The Housing Policy and Intelligence Officer stated she would investigate how many private households were due to be created in South Normanton and pass the information back to Members. Councillor Andrew Joesbury also requested that she investigate how many of the houses in the Strategy, earmarked for that area, were going to be affordable housing.

(Aim 2)           The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that officers had spoken to Keepmoat Homes about sites in Hodthorpe and Pinxton.  To date 14 homes had been secured from Keepmoat in Bolsover, 9 from Avant in Creswell and 3 in South Normanton.  However, he noted that due to changes in Homes England guidelines this was now proving a more difficult route to securing additional stock.

(Aim 3)           The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained noted that the Bolsover Homes ‘Woodlands’ development at Langwith would be built to the Platinum level of the Sustainable Homes standard.  Properties under B@Home were built to Bronze level.  Councillor David Dixon referred to the Code for Sustainable Homes (low carbon housing stock) and asked what had been done to the Council’s stock. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that they would collect rain water and have air tests. He added that Ground Source heating pumps were piloted 10 years ago.

Councillor David Dixon felt that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49