Issue - meetings

This report set out the findings and recommendations of the Affordable Housing Task Group.

Councillor Nerva (Chair of the Affordable Housing Task Group) introduced the report advising that the task group had sought to  gain an understanding of the barriers and solutions to affordable housing delivery. Members and officers were thanked for their contribution to the work of the task group and the committee’s attention was drawn to the recommendations set out in the task group’s report. Councillor Nerva emphasised that the key message to come out of the task group’s work was that the council needed to continue to work really hard to identify places where affordable housing could be delivered and that this would often depend on cross-subsidy from private market housing.

The committee welcomed the report of the task group.  A member sought clarity on the council’s position with regard to combining smaller properties to provide the larger or specially adapted units needed to meet housing needs. Councillor Tatler advised that combining smaller affordable dwellings was difficult to support due to the significant overall need for affordable dwellings.  In addition, family housing was what was predominately needed in Brent and as such, the council had a policy requirement to secure 25% of new dwellings across the Borough as family sized homes and new homes were required to meet accessible and adaptable standards set out in the London Plan and Building Regulations.. Speaking on the South Kilburn Regeneration, Councillor Tatler noted that it had been possible to incorporate needs of council tenants with specific vulnerabilities into the design of the properties.

During the discussion the committee requested the following information:

-       An overview of the council’s policy on combining existing properties to meet housing needs.

RESOLVED:

i)     That Cabinet note the committee’s endorsement of the report and recommendations of the Affordable Housing Task Group;

ii)    The Cabinet note and consider the committee’s additional proposal that plans for new housing developments take into account the known needs for people with disabilities awaiting housing provision;

iii)   The committee expressed its thanks to the individuals and organisations that contributed to the work of the task group and directed that they be provided with a final copy of the report.