Post by Sherford on May 3, 2006 23:01:27 GMT
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GRANT TO BEAT HOUSING CRISIS
12:00 - 03 May 2006
The South Hams is to get nearly £5million from the Government to help ease the district's chronic affordable housing shortage, it emerged today.
Housing Corporation chiefs, who receive the cash via Whitehall, have agreed to a £4.8million grant towards a scheme to build 118 homes in the area.
The homes, which will cost more than £13million, are on top of plans for a 4,000-home new town on the outskirts of Plymouth.
South Hams District Council officials confirmed that 31of the new homes would be built in Ivybridge, with another 54 at Totnes and two at Kingsbridge.
The remainder will be at Aveton Gifford (14) and Chillington (17).
The cash is as a result of a successful campaign for more money by Devon's local councils, housing associations and the Housing Corporation.
The Government has agreed to an increase of nearly 65 per cent in grant for new affordable housing for rent and sale in Devon.
This compares with an average increase in funding across the South West of just 48 per cent.
Members of the partnership, the Devon Strategic Housing Group said just under 2,000 new properties for rent and for sale were planned across the county between now and 2008.
Simon Sherbersky, chairman of Devon Strategic Housing Group said: "We are pleased that the problems of affordability in Devon are being recognised.
"However, there is still a lot to do and it is vital that this level of investment is sustained if we are to make real progress in meeting the increasing need for affordable housing in Devon."
Council chiefs said in spite of the increase in funding, they were struggling to keep pace with the demand for affordable housing as property prices continued to rise.
In areas such as South Hams, some properties cost 12 times the incomes of the lowest earners on around £15,000 per year.
The average salary needed for an average house in Devon was £55,610.
South Hams District Council said the crisis was against a background of rising housing waiting lists, with the Ivybridge area said to be one of the worst-affected.
Council chiefs say high house prices are forcing people to leave the area, with employers unable to attract key workers to the district because they can't afford to live there.
The new town at Sherford, due to come on-line in 2011, will contain a large number of affordable homes.
But experts have admitted that the project will not solve the district's affordable homes problem.
GRANT TO BEAT HOUSING CRISIS
12:00 - 03 May 2006
The South Hams is to get nearly £5million from the Government to help ease the district's chronic affordable housing shortage, it emerged today.
Housing Corporation chiefs, who receive the cash via Whitehall, have agreed to a £4.8million grant towards a scheme to build 118 homes in the area.
The homes, which will cost more than £13million, are on top of plans for a 4,000-home new town on the outskirts of Plymouth.
South Hams District Council officials confirmed that 31of the new homes would be built in Ivybridge, with another 54 at Totnes and two at Kingsbridge.
The remainder will be at Aveton Gifford (14) and Chillington (17).
The cash is as a result of a successful campaign for more money by Devon's local councils, housing associations and the Housing Corporation.
The Government has agreed to an increase of nearly 65 per cent in grant for new affordable housing for rent and sale in Devon.
This compares with an average increase in funding across the South West of just 48 per cent.
Members of the partnership, the Devon Strategic Housing Group said just under 2,000 new properties for rent and for sale were planned across the county between now and 2008.
Simon Sherbersky, chairman of Devon Strategic Housing Group said: "We are pleased that the problems of affordability in Devon are being recognised.
"However, there is still a lot to do and it is vital that this level of investment is sustained if we are to make real progress in meeting the increasing need for affordable housing in Devon."
Council chiefs said in spite of the increase in funding, they were struggling to keep pace with the demand for affordable housing as property prices continued to rise.
In areas such as South Hams, some properties cost 12 times the incomes of the lowest earners on around £15,000 per year.
The average salary needed for an average house in Devon was £55,610.
South Hams District Council said the crisis was against a background of rising housing waiting lists, with the Ivybridge area said to be one of the worst-affected.
Council chiefs say high house prices are forcing people to leave the area, with employers unable to attract key workers to the district because they can't afford to live there.
The new town at Sherford, due to come on-line in 2011, will contain a large number of affordable homes.
But experts have admitted that the project will not solve the district's affordable homes problem.