Fears have been raised that dozens of affordable flats planned for a major housing development could ‘disappear’ within five years. Housing association Great Places wants to build 73 ‘rent-to-buy’ apartments on a former car wash site in Stockport town centre.
The one and two-bedroom homes would be spread across two adjoining blocks on disused land at King Street West - part of the regeneration zone overseen by the town’s mayoral development corporation (MDC). These would be let to working households at a discounted rent, giving tenants the opportunity to save for a deposit to buy their first home.
After five years they are offered the opportunity to purchase their apartment outright, or can increase their share in it over a longer period of time via a process known as ‘staircasing’. But the prospect of the ‘100pc affordable’ development to effectively becoming market housing overnight raised concerns at the latest meeting of the council’s Central Area committee.
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Coun Andy Sorton was among those who questioned the scheme. “We should be celebrating tonight that we have 100pc affordable homes, but in five years’ time we might not have one affordable home on that site,” he said.
“That concerns me - that it's affordable now but in five years time there’s nothing to keep it affordable and therefore our policy falls.”
Providing 100pc affordable housing is ‘significantly in excess’ of that required by the council’s policy - and weighs ‘heavily in favour of the proposed development’, according to a planning officer’s report.
However, Coun Sorton told the meeting: “I’m concerned we are giving permission on the basis of it being affordable knowing, in five years’ time it won’t be affordable and our policies then won’t be worth the paper they are written on.”
His views were echoed by Coun Georgia Lynott. “I think I share Coun Sorton’s reservations about the affordable aspect disappearing and it’s just a shame that what national government considers affordable and alleges is affordable doesn’t really meet with reality,” she told the committee.
Paul Taylor, development manager for Great Places, said that Homes England funding had been provided on the basis of a ‘rent-to-buy’ development - and this could not be changed by the applicant.
He also set out the benefits of the proposals to councillors.
“The proposed new development at King Street West is an important project within our 2023 Homes England funding programme and will deliver 73 apartments for affordable home ownership,” he told the meeting.
“Great Places worked closely with stakeholders, including council officers to bring forward our proposals to deliver a high quality housing scheme on this vacant brownfield site. the development will represent a capital investment of over £15m in the ongoing regeneration of the Stockport Town Centre West area and support the council’s wider strategy on town centre living.”
He added: “In summary, our proposed development at King Street West represents an important opportunity to Great Places affordable homes programme which is deliverable, ready to start and would aim to be completed by late 2024.”
Despite concerns over the potential loss of affordable housing - and some parking issues - councillors agreed it was a welcome scheme.
Coun Matt Wynne said the site had been an ‘eyesore’ for several years and the development would improve the appearance of the area.
“I would propose that we grant this,” he said. “It’s great to see great to see this kind of development at such an early stage in the MDC journey’.
There was no disagreement with his recommendation to the planning committee.
Stockport council’s Central Area committee met on Thursday night (March 90.
Its planning committee meets on Thursday week (March 23).
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