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Re-think needed after plans for new housing are thrown out

Monday, September 19th, 2011

An attempt to use land to build 1,000 houses between Bristol and Bath has been thrown out. The Liberal Democrat controlled area have had their plans to build the new homes on Brownfield sites rejected by the Planning Inspectorate who have questioned the feasibility of the plans and suggested that an alternative is needed. The homes would have been welcomed by those looking to get cheap home insurance on a property of their own for the very first time but now a delay seems inevitable.

The homes were to be built between Bath and Bristol and the ruling Liberal Democrats backed the motion to build on land outside Keynsham. Both areas need to find space for 11,000 homes in the next fifteen years. However, councillors have been told by the inspector to look beyond their favoured Brownfield sites for the solution to the housing problem. The council are aware that if the planning blueprint falls apart they will have a major problem. They are also aware that if they upset the inspector by ignoring his advice he may throw out all of the planning strategies that will lead to a free-for-all for developers who are keeping a close eye on the outcome. Four greenbelt sites have been earmarked as possible options.

Gwen Edwards, who lives in Keynsham, travelled back from Paris to speak at the council meeting and said: “If this greenbelt land is put down as a contingency then welcome to Bristol and North East Somerset. It’s really important we get a distinct gap so as we are driving or cycling along between Keynsham and the eastern edge of Bristol there are long periods of greenness. We don’t want to end up with a tiny hedgerow gap between Bristol and Bath. Its got to be a substantial difference between these two places.”

Councillor Tim Bull, who is responsible for planning in Banes, has had his housing strategy blocked by both Labour and Conservative councillors at a recent meeting despite his warnings this would be a huge gamble for the council. Campaigners are fearful that any development will eventually lead to a corridor of properties that will join Bristol and Bath together. The Planning Inspectorate will return in the New Year for an update from the council.

Tags: cheap home insurance, home insurance, household insurance, Planning Inspectorate
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Serious housing problems predicted for London

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Research carried out by letting agents Knight Frank predicts a worrying housing shortage in the capital that will send property prices soaring even higher than they currently are. The company foresees a shortfall of at least 222,000 homes by 2020.

They huge shortfall and ensuing price rises will mean buying a new property with cheap home insurance in the capital will be out of reach for many ordinary people and the problem may see London’s growing population slowing down. The detailed study of the crisis suggests that the worst affected boroughs will be Westminster and Redbridge where as few as 10% of the new homes needed over the next ten years will actually be built. The gloomy forecast comes at the same time as a separate study claims London has some of the worst housing problems throughout Western Europe.

Knight Frank believe uncertainty caused by the financial crisis and the reduction of grants for social housing is badly affecting builder confidence. Almost two thirds of possible developments have stalled as developers keep an eye on the current climate. One cause of the backlog is the pressure put on developers to include large numbers of “affordable” homes in schemes, making them unprofitable. The problem has been worsened by a massive cut in the Homes and Communities Agency’s capital grant, which has provided in excess of £8billion for schemes in the last three years. They also predict that overseas buyers will push prices up, giving local residents little chance of getting a home insurance quote for their own property.

Shelter’s director of policy and campaigns, Kay Boycott, said “The London housing market is out of control and completely unsustainable. We need to tackle head-on all remaining barriers to affordable house building, in particular the chronic lack of investment. High prices, the fragile economy and the credit squeeze are hampering private house building.”

Tags: cheap home insurance, Home insurance quote, Homes, housing market, London
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Housing charity and NHF see bleak future for south-east

Monday, September 5th, 2011

Porchlight, one of the foremost charities supporting both vulnerable and homeless people in Kent, have warned that the severe shortage of affordable housing and increased rents will result in people having to live in either slum-like accommodation or squats.

The harsh warning came at the same time as research by the NHF (National Housing Federation) showed home ownership in the south east is quite likely to fall below 70% in the next decade, as the great majority of a generation seem set to be locked out of the housing market. The Federation also report a big increase in the number of tenants using the private rental sector, and a long wait for people who need social housing. In fact some will be so far down the list it is likely that they will never get high enough on the list to get a home and protect it with household insurance.

Mike Barrett, Head of Kent-wide support organisation Porchlight, said “Increased rents and long waiting lists for social housing will force people into unsuitable slum-like accommodation, sofa-surfing, squats or the street. Changes to the welfare benefit system are compounding the problem as landlords are unable or unwilling to lower their rents to match benefit reductions. The whole situation will have an impact on the communities we live in as we see a rise in sub-standard accommodation and the problems associated with it. Throw in a 75% funding cut to the county’s rough sleeper service in 2012 and we have nothing short of a crisis on our hands.”

Porchlight are expecting an increase in the number of people approaching them for help as they believe the situation in their part of England now means home ownership is quickly becoming the preserve of the wealthy. At the heart of this crisis is a chronic shortage of new homes, and support organisations similar to Porchlight are calling on the Government to make any unused public land available to builders to create affordable homes with cheap home insurance. Meanwhile the Kent Green Party is calling for all shops that have been empty for over twelve months to be converted into homes to alleviate the situation.

Tags: Charity, cheap home insurance, household insurance, housing, National Housing Federation, Porchlight
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Residents still hopeful that a new development will be rejected

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Residents in Wiltshire who are trying to block a housing development remain hopeful that planning officers will reject the application in the next week. More than 150 people living in Malmesbury have sent in letters of objection to the council who have also confirmed that not one letter of support has been received.

The development would see eighty new properties that would attract cheap house insurance, along with a community centre, improved roads and a park. Residents are concerned about the increase in the chance of flooding, traffic and unwanted pressure on the local schools. They had a meeting with the town council’s planning and environment committee last month to voice their opposition. Residents feel that the introduction of houses in Malmesbury will almost certainly encourage motorists to use the narrow village lanes (which are unsuited for increased traffic) to access nearby towns and villages. Villagers believe that although only eighty properties are planned it could be the thin end of the wedge and pressure to build more will follow.

The overriding opinion of residents is that the application is refused as they do not wish to see the countryside spoiled. They say flooding of the roads in the area is already a problem and the increase in traffic would be dangerous for all children walking to school. The current education facilities would also have to be improved to meet the needs of the young children living in the new housing if the plan goes ahead.

Resident Edward Ledwidge said: “The proposal is considered to meet a need for new housing, including affordable housing, within North Wiltshire and the settlement of Malmesbury. It has been demonstrated that the council do not have a five-year supply of housing land as required by national policy and the application site is not subject to any physical, environmental or other constraints that would prevent housing development taking place.”

Tags: cheap home insurance, housing developments, Malmesbury
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More green areas to be used for housing developments

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Campaigners in the West of the United Kingdom have urged the Coalition not to allow a development boom on green fields. They fear the Government will relax the planning rules when they publish a long awaited National Planning Policy Framework.

Campaigners are worried because in a leaked draft it suggests new legislation will tilt the balance in favour of developers, which would leave large areas of the countryside open for housing developments. It would appear the new rules will require a local council to show that an application to build new homes on an area of Green Belt would cause an adverse impact on the area which significantly outweighs the benefits of having new properties, a complete reversal of the procedure at the moment.

The coalition scrapped the highly controversial Regional Spatial Strategy which would have seen 600,000 new homes built in the South West over the next fifteen years, a proposal that was very unpopular throughout the region. However, they are keen to make sure that more homes are built, and they will instead introduce a New Homes Bonus which will give the councils money for each property that they approve. Developers will also no longer have to focus on previously developed land or a brown field site.

John Blake, branch administrator of Wiltshire Campaign to Protect Rural England, said “There is a huge amount of pressure about to build new houses. The council gets a bonus for each new home that is built, but it does not have any money for the infrastructure. So it needs the New Homes Bonus so it can afford the infrastructure. We do not want to see homelessness or a lack of housing but at the same time we do not want to lose our green spaces.”

While those looking to purchase cheap home insurance for a property in a pretty green field development will be delighted with the news, campaigners feel the relaxed rules will allow developments completely unsympathetic to their natural surroundings will now get the go ahead.

Tags: Campaigners, cheap home insurance, National Planning Policy Framework, new homes
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Sussex to get forty new affordable green properties

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Denne have been picked by Southern Housing Group as the contractor to build forty brand new homes which will be both sustainable and affordable in the beautiful coastal town of Hove.

Southern Housing Group is one of the United Kingdom’s biggest housing associations who own and manage in excess of 26,000 properties, which are home to over 65,000 inhabitants. Work on the new project will start in six weeks time and will evolve into thirteen one bedroom homes, fifteen two bedroom homes and twelve three bedroom homes. The properties will be available to those already on the housing waiting list. With the rent for the properties being competitive it is thought that plenty of local people will be keen to purchase cheap home insurance on one of the homes and interest in them will be high.

Colin Thomas from Southern Housing Group said: “We are delighted to be able to deliver much needed affordable homes in Hove. The homes reach high sustainability and design standards and the maritime art deco influence has proved popular with both the planning authority and local residents. We are pleased that Denne will build this prominent scheme for the Group.”

A focal point of the new housing will be the inset balconies on each property that are both sheltered from the wind and private. They will be constructed to create sun parlours which are a useful device for increasing the solar gain and thus will reduce the need for heating on a sunny winter day. Denne also plan to have solar photovoltaic panels on the roof for electricity generation. The development will include a basement car park and excellent drainage services. Denne also want to help the community through their Employment and Skills strategy. They aim to give five apprenticeships and six work placements to residents in Hove. If the project goes to plan it should be completed by the winter of next year with Southern Housing Group hoping to build more green properties in the future.

Tags: cheap home insurance, Green Properties, property development, Southern Housing Group
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Didcot pub set to be replaced by houses

Monday, March 14th, 2011

South Oxfordshire District Council have approved a plan for brewer Greene King to demolish the Waterwitch pub and build eight new terraced homes on the site, despite complaints. Unfortunately the development will leave some residents without a local watering hole.

The pub which has been open for nearly half a century could close for the last time within a few months because the brewery have said it has become unviable as a business. Councillors approved the plan after a report showed that there were other public houses within a half-a-mile radius. It now appears the buildings on the site will be covered by cheap household insurance instead of landlords insurance.

Didcot Council have been very critical of the plan because the closest pubs are not within walking distance for disabled or the elderly and they also believe the building of new houses is overdevelopment. Residents have also expressed major concerns over the loss of car parking outside the pub which was often used as overflow parking for the nearby Primary School.

Didcot’s Mayor, John Flood, said “It’s a shame that the pub is going to close but you can’t make a company run a pub if it’s losing money. It is going to be a shame if the pub goes, because it’s a good facility for the local community.”

Greene King spokesman, Elaine Beckett, said “The Waterwitch pub will remain open for business. We will market it for sale, with the benefit of planning consent, and the pub will remain open while we do this.”

Two months ago the pubs landlord Robbie Warrior told how the pub was costing £3,500 per week to run but was earning only £2,200 a week. He was not available to comment on the news.

Tags: cheap home insurance, Didcot, home insurance, property market
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