Agenda item

Consider report by Director – Infrastructure and Environment. (Copy attached.)

2.1       With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of the meeting held on 4 October 2022, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Director – Infrastructure and Environment which sought approval of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2024-2029 so that it could be submitted to Scottish Government by 27th October 2023 deadline. The report explained that Local Authorities were required to submit a SHIP to the Scottish Government on an annual basis. Scottish Borders Council, with the involvement of its key partners via the SHIP Working Group, had prepared this SHIP submission.  The SHIP articulated how the Council and its Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners would seek to deliver the Border’s affordable housing investment needs and outcomes, identified in the Council’s Proposed Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2023-2028, over a rolling 5-year planning horizon.  Based on available Resource Planning Allocations from Scottish Government and resource planning assumptions, RSL partner, private sector borrowing and commitment from the Council’s Affordable Housing Budget, approximately 201 new homes could be delivered during 2023/24 and potentially up to 1,122 new affordable homes over the five-year SHIP 2024- 2029 period.  The latter figure assumed that all identified challenges and infrastructure issues were resolved in a timely manner, funding was available, and that agreement was reached between all interested parties and the construction sector had capacity to deliver the identified projects. 

2.2       The Lead Officer, Housing Strategy and Development, Ms Donna Bogdanovic presented the report and responded to questions.  In response to a question regarding emergency housing for homeless people, Ms Bogdanovic explained that funding for that category of homes was not eligible to be included in the affordable housing supply programme.  Work was ongoing with RSL partners to ensure that emergency accommodation was provided to people in need, with a desire to provide people with permanent tenancies rather than temporary accommodation.  Regarding the appropriateness of reference in the report to the slow-down in house sales and low level of building in the region following the financial crash of 2008, Ms Bogdanovic explained that the crisis in 2008 had a catastrophic impact on the number of houses being built.  Whilst Covid-19 had negatively impacted upon the number of houses being built, the 2008 crisis had a much greater degree of negative impact.  Building levels had not returned to pre-2008 volumes.  Regarding the potential financial benefits in council tax revenue referred to in the report, Ms Bogdanovic outlined that the figure in the report was a basic calculation using the number of units.  There were no allowances made in the figure for council tax exemptions.  It was confirmed that officers held regular discussions with Scottish Power Energy Networks regarding plans for the number of houses being built to allow them to plan accordingly.  The importance of ensuring that there was an appropriate number of heat-pump trained engineers in the region was acknowledged, and Ms Bogdanovic undertook to provide additional detail on decarbonisation work outside of the meeting.   Members agreed that a briefing should be organised following the passage of the Housing Bill.  In response to a question regarding the level of confidence that developments in Coldstream and Westruther would be delivered, Ms Bogdanovic explained that RSLs, Scottish Government and SBC had formed the opinion that they were deliverable.  Whilst there was the potential that some projects on the list might not be delivered, there was also the possibility that additional ones could be added to the list.  Ms Bogdanovic confirmed that engagement with place-making groups had occurred, and that feedback was sought from all communities.  It was recognised that assessing demand for RSL homes was a challenge. 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Strategic Housing Investment Programme 2024-2029 for submission to the Scottish Government – More Homes Division.

MEMBER

Councillor Thornton-Nicol joined the meeting during the discussion of the item below.