Update from Monday's Housing Committee

On Monday evening, at the the meeting of the Council's Housing, Dundee Contract Services and Environment Services Committee, I raised the issue of a complete absence of planned affordable housing developments in Broughty Ferry. For full details see No New Affordable Homes to Rent Planned in The Ferry in the Council's draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010-15. My views received a sympathetic hearing. I am delighted to acknowledge that Director of Housing, Elaine Zwirlein and the Convener of Housing, Jimmy Black agreed to look constructively at proposals for affordable housing in Broughty Ferry when sites and resources are identified. I invite potential developers to contact the Council if they have any proposals for housing developments in Broughty Ferry which potentially include affordable housing including low cost home ownership and homes to rent.

No New Affordable Homes to Rent Planned in The Ferry

Later today, the Housing Committee of the City Council will be considering the adoption of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010-15 in which no new affordable homes to rent are planned in The Ferry ward for the next five years.

Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:

"I am concerned that the aspiration of many people in Broughty Ferry for an affordable home to rent is unlikely to be realised because the new Strategic Housing Investment Plan does not recognise them as a priority. As it stands, none of the 1000 new homes in the city over the five year life of the plan will be built in The Ferry. This is very disappointing news for people on the waiting list for an affordable home. This is also very unfair. The Ferry ward has the lowest proportion of social rented housing in Dundee and lengthening lists of new applicants and transfer applicants for housing. Many of the council and housing association homes built here over the years have been purchased under the 'right to buy' so there are a declining number of homes to rent from the council or a housing association. While there are many good quality owner occupied houses in The Ferry, not everyone wants to buy their own home or can afford to do this. This isn't just an issue for Ferry folk because many housing applicants in other parts of Dundee aspire to live in Broughty Ferry and are currently on the waiting list. For these reasons, I will be raising this at the Council meeting and demanding that, like the West End ward, new homes to rent in Broughty Ferry should be included in the plan. The announcement on Friday, by the Scottish Government of a £70 million lending facility offered by the European Investment Bank to five housing associations, including Home Scotland and Sanctuary Housing Associations who operate in the city, should mean more cash will be available than anticipated when the Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010-15 was drafted. I hope that will mean that some of planned investment can be deservedly spent in Broughty Ferry without diverting cash from meeting housing needs in other parts of the city.