Chance to have your say on future housing strategy

RESIDENTS of West Somerset are being invited to have their say on future housing needs across the district.
West Somerset Council will hold a public consultation in Minehead Methodist Church on Wednesday, February 4, between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm.
The council’s portfolio holder for housing, Councillor Kate Kravis said: “We are developing a new housing strategy and we want to make sure that it draws on the views of a wide range of people living in West Somerset.
“Residents have valuable knowledge on the reality of the local housing market and of their own housing needs.
“We are urging as many people as possible to speak to us, so we can ensure the views of people of all ages and backgrounds are taken into account during the development of the plan.”
The council hopes to explore what types of housing are needed, how it can extend the choice of housing available, and how it can help young people buy and rent homes.
It will also review how it can help local people keep their homes in good repair, help homeowners keep their homes through the recession, and look at the needs of the district’s older population.
Councillor Kravis said: “The council supports sustainable development across the district and we would like to encourage more eco-friendly initiatives so that future housing stock is not completely dependent on fossil fuels where this is possible and practical.
“We have already examined a lot of existing information and held discussions with a number of organisations involved with housing and related services.
“However, we value local residents’ knowledge and we would like to draw on their housing experience to make sure the housing strategy meets the needs of all people, and helps us to develop healthy sustainable communities.”

Council offers cash to put empty homes back into use

GRANTS of up to £10,000 are being offered by West Somerset Council so empty homes in the district can be restored to use.
The council may also be able to help owners of idle commercial buildings, flats, or empty storage areas above shops where there is potential for conversion to a dwelling.
Residents are being encouraged to report homes which have been empty for six months or more to allow the council to contact owners and look at putting the properties to good use.
The council’s housing portfolio holder, Councillor Kate Kravis, said: “Despite the effect of the current economic climate on the housing market, there is still a chronic shortage of affordable homes to rent and buy in West Somerset.
“We can help owners of properties who are struggling to bring homes up to the decent homes standard, or who have inherited the property but do not live in the area and are worried about managing the property.”
As well as funding grants of up to £10,000 for empty homes to be restored to use, the council can also help owners lease their homes to people looking for affordable housing to rent.
Advice and support is available on selling properties to local housing associations so that they can be let to local people.
Grants worth up to £5,000 may also be available to owner-occupiers who cannot currently live in homes because they do not meet the decent homes standards.
Councillor Kravis said: “Members of the public can play their part by advising us of properties that are vacant.
“We can then contact the owners and try to bring the homes back into use for local people.”
Grants are not available for second homes which are vacant for long periods during the year.
Anybody wishing to report empty homes in West Somerset should call 01643 703704, or email customerservices@westsomerset.gov.uk.

PROPERTY NEWS: Part-buy and part-rent options on affordable homes

PEOPLE looking for an affordable home in West Somerset are being urged to buy rather than rent.
Magna West Somerset Housing Association said it had a number of a part-buy, part-rent properties available immediately through its development company Charter (S.W.) Ltd.
They included properties in and near West Somerset, in Stogursey, Lynton, and Bampton.
A Magna spokesman said: “You can buy part of the property and rent the remaining part.
“Your monthly outlay would typically be between £500 and £600, depending on the value of the property you part-buy and the type of mortgage you take.”
Charter (S.W.) Ltd’s core area of operation covers Somerset, Devon, and Dorset, and in addition to traditional affordable rented housing, it offers additional options to local communities in fulfilling housing needs, including shared ownership, shared-equity opportunities, and sub-market renting.
At its Lonlay Meadows development, in Farringdon Lane, Stogursey, the company is offering part-buy, part-rent on a first floor one-bedroom coach house apartment with private entrance and garage, lounge, kitchen, and bathroom for £42,000.
The outside of the property is rendered with feature wooden cladding.
It also has five new one-bedroom apartments available with private entrance and parking, open plan living room and kitchen, bathroom, central heating, and double glazing, starting at £38,000 under the same scheme.
In Lynton, two two-bedroom apartments are available at The Chapel, featuring open plan living rooms with fully-fitted kitchens and family bathrooms, central heating, double glazing, and parking, from £56,500.
The Bampton development, known as Scotts, offers a 40 per cent share in a two-bedroom apartment from £54,500.
The traditionally-built apartments on the edge of the town were carefully designed and built to a high standard by local developer Devonshire Homes and feature an open plan living room and kitchen.
Each is fully fitted with white goods, including oven/hob, washer/dryer, and refrigerator, and is carpeted throughout.
More information about the Charter homes is available by calling 0844 463 8031.
Anybody who wants to part-buy, part-rent one of the Charter homes should register at http://www.home2own.org.uk/.

• Our images show (from the top) Lonlay Meadows, Stogursey, The Chapel, Lynton, Scotts, Bampton. Images submitted.

New website helps people search for an ‘affordable home’

SOCIAL housing organisation Somer Housing Group, which has properties in West Somerset and Taunton Deane, has launched a new website aimed at people looking for affordable housing options.
The site, www.somerhomes.co.uk, has details of all the properties on offer from the group’s members through the ‘New Build HomeBuy’ scheme.
It allows people to move in to a new home which they part-buy, part-rent - buying a percentage of the home and paying rent on the rest of it.
As people’s circumstances change, they can buy further shares until they own the whole of their home.
Some developments have homes available through ‘rent to buy’.
The new scheme is aimed at people who cannot afford or cannot obtain a mortgage, or who have simply been put off purchasing in the current economic climate.
They receive the best of both worlds, renting a home at 80 per cent of the local market rate and at a later date they will be given the first chance to buy the property through ‘New Build HomeBuy’.
The website currently has properties available in parts of Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and the Cotswolds.
Somer sales and marketing manager Sarah Turton said: “This is a very difficult time for people who are frustrated because they want to find a home, but are still having difficulty finding somewhere they can afford or getting a mortgage.
“We have some great homes for sale and rent and these schemes give you lots of flexibility about how you commit yourself now, with the possibility that one day you will own all of your home, without ever having to move.”
The group includes Somer Community Housing Trust, which is the largest social landlord in the Westcountry, Bristol-based Redland Housing Association, young people and homeless charity Shape Housing Association, and Lantern Homes.

Council planners asked to approve New Horizons despite no money for it

DISTRICT councillors will be asked tomorrow, Thursday, January 31, to grant planning approval for West Somerset’s £50 million New Horizons project – even though the council has pulled its financial backing for the scheme.
New Horizons was intended to provide the district with a new hospital, sports centre and leisure facilities including a swimming pool, business support and training, and housing, including affordable homes for local people.
Now, an outline planning application will be put before tomorrow’s meeting of the council’s planning committee, with a recommendation for councillors to allow it subject to no substantive objections being received from organisations which have still to make comments.
The planning application has been submitted by the council itself in order that the principle of the development can be agreed.
But a deepening financial crisis which has hit the council since Independent councillors took control in last year’s elections has forced the authority to withdraw its £11 million share of the funding.
However, Somerset Primary Care Trust (PCT) is still looking at the possibility of going ahead with the £26 million hospital element of the scheme on its own, because almost all of the cost will be met by the Government.
Work is planned to start on the hospital during the summer of this year and it should be ready to accept patients in mid-2009.
Staff in the existing Minehead hospital recently shared their views on the design of the new community hospital.
The developers, Laing O’Rouke, met with clinical staff to discuss the design of the new facility, which is being planned on a site off Seaward Way, Minehead.
PCT project director Simon Corrick said: “We held a very successful project launch day which allowed the hospital developers, Laing O’Rouke, to meet with the staff who will be working in the new hospital.
“The meeting provided a good opportunity to allow our staff to discuss their thoughts on how the hospital should be designed and operated, and for Laing O’Rouke to introduce members of their team who will be working with us over the next two years.
“The event was very useful and enabled our staff to fully understand the process that will be followed.
“In particular, I think it provided reassurance that staff will be fully involved in the process.”
Laing O’Rouke was appointed by the PCT and will take full responsibility for all aspects of the design and construction of the new hospital.
The company has considerable experience in the development of public buildings and is presently completing a new hospital in Frome which will receive its first patients this summer.
Mr Corrick said: “This is the first part of the design process and we now face a very intensive three months which will result in a design which will be submitted for a full planning application later this year.
“In the meantime, we continue working with the other partner organisations which are collaborating on the development of the town’s New Horizons project.”
Members of the Somerset Patient and Public Involvement Forum - which is an NHS watchdog - this week expressed their concern at the district council’s withdrawal from the New Horizons project.
The forum recognised the council’s financial constraints but urged it to think again, in order to allow New Horizons to go ahead as planned.
Forum chairman Maureen Lloyd Williams said: “The shared site would foster links between all sections of the community. It will be a huge boost to the area.”

Second information evening to show latest thinking on New Horizons project

AN information event on the £50 million New Horizons project in Minehead is being held at West Somerset Community College on Thursday, November 1, between 5 pm and 7 pm.
New Horizons aims to revolutionise learning, leisure, cultural, business, and health facilities for the people of West Somerset by providing a new community hospital, skills and enterprise centre, sports and leisure centre, and replacement all-weather sports facilities.
It will also provide 5.3 acres of housing, 30 per cent of which will be affordable housing for local people to rent or buy.
District council deputy leader Councillor Simon Stokes said: “Public consultation has been key to getting this fantastic project right for local people.
“We have been delighted by the positive feedback and we have arranged further events so that residents can come along and see the latest plans.”
The information evening will feature displays and the opportunity to talk to representatives from the delivering partnership about:

• Community Hospital
  
• Skills and Enterprise Centre
  
• Rural Skills Centre
  
• Sports, Leisure and Learning Facilities
  
• Housing provision and affordable housing

Aedas, the project’s architect and lead consultant, has designed the masterplan to accommodate the facilities on the site off Seaward Way, in Minehead, with the exception of the rural skills centre, which will be located on land below Conygar Tower, at Dunster.
The plans have been submitted to the district council and will go to the planning committee for a decision before Christmas.
College principal Nick Swann, representing all parties, said: “Our last open evening was really successful and this is a further chance for local people to come along for an update and to see how all the elements work together.
“We will make the displays as informative and interactive as possible so that people can really get an idea of the benefits the scheme will bring to West Somerset.
“There will be opportunities to ask questions and to feed back views and suggestions. We have been delighted with the support the project has received so far.
“Following sustained efforts to get New Horizons off the ground, we are very pleased with the rate of recent developments.
“Robust business planning must now be completed to map out how the leisure centre part of the scheme can be operated in the most efficient way to achieve best value.”
Somerset Primary Care Trust capital project director Simon Corrick said: “The development of the New Horizons project and new community hospital for Minehead is an exciting and innovative initiative and one which will benefit the whole community.
“Minehead Hospital will be the second of four new community hospitals built by Somerset PCT, and with finance already secured to pay for its development, tendering and design work will be able to progress in line with plans for construction to start in 2008.”
New Horizons is being delivered by a partnership of West Somerset Council, Somerset County Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the West Somerset Community College.
More information on the project is available on West Somerset Council’s website at www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/newhorizons.

• Our image above shows the New Horizons masterplan. The buildings are colour coded: Orange - community hospital; pink - skills and enterprise centre; blue - sports and leisure centre; yellow - housing; red - performing arts centre (phase two). Image submitted.