Extract from the Highland Housing Need and Demand Assessment Consultation Draft August 2009 (HNDA)
"There are parts of Highland – eg Nairn – in which the requirement for open market housing appears to be low (138) relative to the need for affordable housing (430) implying little need for open market housing. In reality the funding is unlikely to be available for the full need and households in need will find solutions for themselves in the open market eg through high housing costs or subsidised renting solutions. Developers should also respond to the market by providing open market and low cost and starter homes."
So, why doesn't Government, this SNP Government, or any other 'flavour' of Government, take the 'bull by the horns' and deal with this problem of affordable housing?
Does it all still come down to 'Developer' Contributions needed for infrastructure and the only way to get that is through incorporating it into the sale price of open market housing to private buyers - some of whom may be struggling to get an mortgage?
Tradesmen and suppliers would be employed in the construction industry as long as the houses were being built; just why aren't we solving this problem.
Much of the argument and analysis in the HNDA is specious, and a lot of the figures are suspect.
ReplyDeleteIn particular, the assertions about the "need" (sic) for affordable housing in Nairn are simply not substantiated, and appear to involve a degree of double-counting.
In addition, people who are on the lists for affordable housing around the region apparently tend to put Nairn high on the list of places where they would like to live. Surprise surprise...
But that does not mean there is a substantial need for affordable housing from within Nairn. If substantial numbers of new affordable houses (or flats) were to be built in Nairn, then this might well bring lots of profit for developers, and an influx of lower-income tenants and families from elsewhere in the Highlands. But it would almost certainly result in Nairn ceasing to be to be quite such an attractive and agreeable place in which to live.
I am currently ploughing through all 153 pages of the Housing Need and Demand Assessment, and will no doubt post when I have worked out the relevance to the alternatives for development in the area being put forward by Highland as part of the HwLDP. This will include any conmment on the data itself and how useful it was in helping me to put forward a response.
ReplyDeleteI have to state that I have spoken personally to people who live and wish to remain in Nairn, but find themselves priced out of the market, through private rental or purchase.
As far as I understand, and I would welcome any further details and comment on this, those on waiting lists are allocated accomodation on the basis of calculated need and the next available property may not be in an area that they wish to live. This, I thought was quite likely associated with people who have grown up in an area, but now find themselves priced out due to affordability issues. I find it hard to relate to adjectives such as 'substantial' in this context. I would need hard comparitive data
Why shouldn't people who cannot afford housing not put a 'nice' place to live on top of their list? I certainly would.
My main point here is that the housing market is a delicate thing, and the report seems to state that there is little need for open market housing; a greater proportion of the housing need calculated would be for low cost options
What is more interesting is that there has been a boom here and this has coincided with many more houses, increased housing costs and population and the market being a lot less 'affordable'.
I have to say that I was raised in Local Authority Housing, and we were lower -income tenants even though my dad worked all the hours god sent, just not in an occupation that garnered huge rewards. My parents were lucky to get the housing they did, during the 60's housing boom. I know many hard working people who live in LA accomodation who I would be happy to have as neighbours.
On the subject of neighbours, since having to fend for myself I have always been lucky to have good neighbours. We should not ignore the fact that disputes can arise in any area - even more 'middle class' ones.
What is affordable? In today's economic climate there appear to be very few properties that the majority of the young people could afford to buy. Even the housing association properties are not affordable for a great many young people. Finding an 'affordable' property to rent is also difficult.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Council Housing' of the past addressed this need and although there were a great many problems in council housing estates, the majority of people were very grateful for somewhere truly affordable.
In Nairn the majority of income seems to be generated from the tourist industry or the care industry. The majority of people who work in these are, in the main, paid the basic wage or not much more. They do need somewhere affordable to live , within a reasonable distance from their work so as not to incur extra costs.
Perhaps not 'substantial' amounts of affordable housing but a reasonable amount, and not just in Nairn as every community small and large has a need for truly affordable housing. This would be a good beginning.
One would hope that it would not be too difficult for the Council and Government to provide real affordable housing to rent for people who work in for example the care or tourist industries. A case of real need.