{"id":3339,"date":"2017-01-27T15:17:41","date_gmt":"2017-01-27T15:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brentorpc.org.uk\/?page_id=3339"},"modified":"2024-05-20T21:37:27","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T21:37:27","slug":"affordable-housing-in-brentor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.brentorpc.org.uk\/?page_id=3339","title":{"rendered":"Local Needs housing in Brentor"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Latest News
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Affordable Housing Update – May 2024<\/h3>\n

In lieu of the decision by WDBC to not support a scheme in the Parish the Parish Council is unable to proceed with the project. Informal discussions have been held with WDBC Housing Officers who have suggested that any schemes in adjoining parishes may be opened to those having a housing need in Brentor, although there has been little progress made in relation to these schemes. If the situation should change the Parish Council will revisit the matter. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the project in any way over the years.<\/p>\n

\n

WDBC pulls out from proposed Brentor Affordable Housing scheme<\/h3>\n

WDBC had formally withdrawn from supporting the proposed affordable housing scheme in Brentor saying that the survey did not identify a sufficient need. This means that Dartmoor National Park are unlikely to grant planning for the proposed development of affordable housing on the outskirts of the village and that makes the project unviable. While we wait for the full decision to be sent to us the Housing Needs Survey has been provided for publication. You can access a copy of it Housing Needs Survey April 22.<\/a><\/p>\n

We will update the website when we have more information.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

The current situation<\/h3>\n

The housing needs survey has been collated and the results are due to be put before the WDBC Councillors in the next couple of weeks. There have been some informal meetings with WDBC officers regarding the results of the survey and the possible decisions that the members of the WDBC may make but there will be no more certain information until the members have made a decision on the future of the scheme. As soon as the Parish Council know what that decision is we will be in touch with residents.<\/p>\n

\n

Another housing needs survey…..<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A statement from Brentor Parish Council:-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brentor Parish Council have, in the last few days, been notified by WDBC that it is their intention to carry out a full Housing Needs Survey for the parish of Brentor, to evidence and support any planning application to Dartmoor National Park regarding the building of the proposed new affordable housing in the village.<\/p>\n

The survey will be posted to every household in the parish during the week commencing the 7th\u00a0March and have\u00a0a 3 week response\u00a0window.\u00a0 Following this, a report will be produced that can be shared with the parish council which will then inform us of the next steps that West Devon Borough Council will take.<\/p>\n

It is essential that every household completes the survey, even if you do not require accommodation in the immediate future.\u00a0 People who have already responded to any previous housing survey (via social media\/open events\/etc.) or who think they are already \u2018on the list’, should, yet again, respond and complete this survey in order to be included, as previous statements of interest will not be accounted for.<\/p>\n

Brentor Parish Council<\/i><\/strong>
\n16 February 2022<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

West Devon Borough Council commits substantial funding to Brentor’s affordable housing scheme in 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Some time ago West Devon Borough Council announced that\u00a0<\/span>it would be applying for planning permission to provide five\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0affordable rented homes and four shared ownership homes at Hammer Park<\/strong>.\u00a0The change from providing some discounted homes to shared ownership was apparently to enable the Council to apply for government funding towards the project. \u00a0However, months on, no further progress has been announced.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following a lengthy design process and engagement with Dartmoor National Park planning department and an internal review of the business case, WDBC said that it intended to submit a planning application for the scheme.<\/p>\n

\n

The Council also said that it hoped that this application would \u00a0be successful and, if it was, officers would be able to take a report to the HUB Committee and to Full Council for a decision as to whether to proceed to the detailed design, tender and ultimately construction of the project.\u00a0 It would represent an investment of over \u00a32m by West Devon Borough Council.\u00a0 There are of course risks associated with it, including having to spend around \u00a385,000 on detailed designs.\u00a0 At a Council meeting some time ago it was agreed to spend this money, so the project ought to be nearer to going ahead by now.<\/p>\n

Should the project proceed to construction it would be self-financing using long term borrowing.\u00a0 Until a tender exercise is undertaken the actual cost of construction remains unknown, and only at that stage will the Council be able to make a final decision to move forward to construction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

If you have connections to Brentor and you are interested in applying to live in this housing, please email Affordable.Housing@swdevon.gov.uk or call 01822 813722. <\/span>#housing<\/a><\/span> #affordablehousing<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Result of the Housing Needs Survey are published – August 2019
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Brentor Parish Council released the following statement on 18th July 2019:<\/p>\n

PROPOSED HOUSING<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Figures have now been collated from the Housing Needs Survey conducted in July 2018 and the 2 public presentation days.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The presentations were very well attended and figures show that the development is oversubscribed by local people who will be eligible to live there.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The latest data indicates a need for 11 affordable homes and 6 open market homes, which meet the criteria for an affordable development as required by WDBC and DNPA.\u00a0\u00a0The planned development remains fixed at 12 properties.<\/p>\n

Further progress has been slightly delayed due to the recent elections, but it is understood that the plans will be submitted to DNPA shortly with a planning decision expected in September.\u00a0 Construction should then commence late Autumn or early next year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0Further information will be published as and when it is received.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n

Support for Brentor’s Community Housing scheme<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

West Devon Borough Council issued the following news release on 4th June 2019, signalling their strong support for the construction of 12 new community houses in Brentor, at the Hammer Park site.\u00a0 This is part of a \u00a34.3 million project, the other part being 17 new community houses in Lamerton.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Two community housing schemes have today been agreed by West Devon Borough Council’s Hub Committee.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The Community Housing Strategy was put in place to support the development of homes available to those people who have a local connection, but the homes are beyond their reach.
\nThe lack of such housing is having a huge impact on the vitality and sustainability of local communities, with many locals having to relocate due to increasing housing costs.
\nCouncillors have agreed to create a fund of \u00a34.3 million by borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board with some internal funding,\u00a0 to build the first two community housing schemes which will deliver 29 residential homes.
\nCllr Debo Sellis, West Devon Borough Council’s Lead Member for Homes, said<\/strong>: “I am delighted that the Council is taking direct action to help reduce the housing affordability challenges that the Borough faces.”
\nThis represents the first direct delivery of new homes by the Council in a generation and will lead to the reintroduction of some Council-held housing stock.
\nThe construction of the first two community housing projects will start with 12 homes in Brentor and a further 17 in Lamerton, subject to Parish Council Support.
\nThese projects benefit from reduced land value by using exception site planning policy and are being delivered where the community has shown that there is a need for affordable housing and therefore they have the support of the community, Parish Council and Neighbourhood Plan.
\nThe properties will be available as a mix of different affordable options, to ensure that housing is truly affordable to rent or buy for local people. Some will be available\u00a0 to buy at a discount, some as affordable rented, and some available on the open market to make the projects financially viable.
\nDesign and planning work is being met through a Government grant of \u00a3250,000 paid to West Devon in 2017 to help with the delivery of community housing schemes across the Borough.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

A public presentation about proposals for affordable housing in Brentor has been arranged by Brentor Parish Council for 2nd March 2019 from 12.00pm to 3.00pm at Brentor Village Hall<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Parish Clerk sent the following letter for display on this website:-<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear Parishioners<\/p>\n

A public presentation on the proposed Local Needs Housing development at Hammer Park Brentor, has been arranged for Saturday 2nd March following the Coffee Morning and continuing until 3pm.<\/p>\n

Housing Officers from WDBC will be in attendance to outline the proposals and to answer questions which residents may have and which are not covered by the extensive information given at the moment on the village website, which covers the housing proposal.<\/p>\n

Please try and attend and give your views on how you would like the building design to look, should this development proposal take place.<\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n

Brentor Parish Council<\/p>\n

\n

November 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The concept plan for the site which was displayed at the drop-in session<\/p><\/div>\n

At the drop-in session about possible local needs housing, held at Brentor Village Hall on Saturday 17th November 2018, visitors were able to view concept layout plans for up to 12 houses at Hammer Park. <\/strong>They were also able to question representatives of the Parish Council and West Devon Borough Council about the proposals. The recent Brentor Parish housing needs survey has demonstrated that, with existing housing list members, there is demand for up to 12 new homes. These would be built at Hammer Park as a \u2018small affordable housing exception site\u2019 scheme, which allows for the building of principally affordable housing in the National Park.<\/em><\/p>\n

The current landowner has generously agreed to provide the Hammer Park site for an extremely reasonable sum, which would therefore enable the houses to be truly affordable. \u00a0A mix of perhaps three full market value homes (which would cross-subsidise the others), three discounted homes and six rented properties would in all likelihood make the scheme economically viable. Open market properties are commonly needed due to the decline of funding for local needs housing.<\/em><\/p>\n

The full market value homes would be marketed only to people from Brentor Parish in the first instance, such as those wishing to downsize from their existing home. The discounted homes would be sold to local people at a much reduced price (which might be at about 40% discount, but in the future they could only be sold on for a similar discount to other local people). The rental properties would be rented only to people from the Parish initially.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the future, if there were no takers for any of the properties from within the Parish they could only be occupied by people from within adjoining parishes, and if there was no demand from them, only by people from within the National Park. These properties will never be allowed to become second homes or holiday homes. The s106 planning agreement would include this detail to ensure that the properties were targeted for local people to the parish in perpetuity.<\/em><\/p>\n

There would be a possibility of including some single-storey properties for the elderly if there is demand.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was made clear that this development will only go ahead if there is support from people in Brentor, and this will probably need to be gauged by the Parish Council. If it does go ahead there would be full consultation about the mix of properties, their layout, materials and design. They would be well built, reflect the local vernacular, and be low-carbon emission. The properties would probably be built by West Devon Borough Council and retained by them as their own housing stock.<\/em><\/p>\n

There are other possible housing sites in Brentor, such as the field behind the bus shelter in the village centre (which is currently listed by Dartmoor National Park as being suitable for development with up to 29 homes). If the site at Hammer Park were to go ahead the likelihood of development elsewhere in the village would be reduced for the foreseeable future. \u00a0West Devon Borough Council and the Parish Council clearly understood the sensitivity of this issue and the feeling in the village that it will engender, but they explained that that there is considerable pressure from Government for each Parish area to provide housing for local needs.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you need further information about this issue contact Alex Rehaag from the West Devon Borough Council housing team – tel 01822 813600. This issue will no doubt be discussed at forthcoming Parish Council meetings – details of these are on the Parish Council pages of this website.<\/em><\/p>\n

Watch this space for more information as it emerges.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

November 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At rather short notice, West Devon Borough Council has organised a drop-in session to be held at Brentor Village Hall from 1.00pm to 3.00pm on Saturday 17th November 2018.\u00a0 The Council released the information below on facebook at about 3.30pm on Monday 12th November 2018.\u00a0 Alex Rehaag<\/span> from West Devon Borough Council’s housing team will be on hand to answer visitors’ questions.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

September 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although there has been no obvious movement for some time, the subject of Affordable Housing is still very much an ongoing matter. \u00a0Added to this there is increasing pressure from central government for the National Parks to allow development in villages.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dartmoor National Park Land Availability Assessment (LAA) Review completed in September 2017 has identified two sites in Brentor that could be used for housing.\u00a0 These are the site adjacent to the road at Hammer Park, identified for five or six dwellings, and the site behind the bus shelter in the centre of North Brentor village, identified for between 19 and 29 dwellings. (This of course does not imply that planning permission would necessarily be granted since the sites identified have noted constraints).\u00a0 The LAA review report can be seen by clicking here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Housing Needs Survey discussed at the Parish Council’s Annual Meeting on 14th May 2018 has now been sent to all Brentor residents. \u00a0This is being done at no cost to the parish or to West Devon Borough Council.\u00a0 It has been written and funded by Devon Communities Together, an independent non-profit-making charity, who will also analyse the information from the survey and produce an independent report. They are part of the Devon Rural Housing Partnership.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The deadline for returning the forms (in the reply-paid envelope supplied with the survey or by emailing a scanned copy) is 31st July 2018. You can also complete the survey electronically on Survey Monkey by clicking here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Once this information has been collected it is expected that a meeting will be arranged to discuss the findings with the parish.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It is very important that as many people as possible complete and return the forms.\u00a0\u00a0By having a high percentage of responses it will help our local authorities to respond appropriately to any housing need discovered by the survey and also to resist unplanned development in Brentor.<\/div>\n

Possible sites for affordable housing in Brentor<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The village of North Brentor has been identified by Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNP) as a rural settlement where the provision of a small number of affordable houses to meet an identified local need could be permitted. Suitable sites will be within or adjoining the settlement and well related to the existing buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n