Concerns of East Riding's ability to build affordable homes in five years

A councillor has spoken of his concern over the East Riding’s ability to build 1,000 new affordable homes in five years after the “catastrophic failure” to meet current targets.

East Riding Council Safer and Stronger Communities Sub-Committee member Cllr Paul Lissiter said there had so far been a “whacking huge shortfall” on the building of 5,372 new affordable homes.

The councillor added only 220 homes had been built since the 20 year target was set in 2015 and currently would see about 600 more constructed at the current pace.

Council Deputy Leader Cllr Mike Stathers, who also has responsibility for affordable housing, told the committee a strategy for building the 1,000 homes was still in its “very early stages”.

He added the council was committed to building the “much needed” homes but also said the aim to construct 1,000 in the next five years was just a target.

The comments come after council leader Cllr Richard Burton unveiled the 1,000 homes target during the East Riding’s budget meeting in February.

Cllr Burton said at the meeting the £100m investment the target would bring would be a “huge boost” to the local construction sector and fuel new job creation.

But Cllr Lissiter asked officers whether the target was achievable in light of only 15 per cent of the 5,372 previously targeted being built at current rates of construction.

The councillor said:

“This council previously expressed its intention to build 5,372 new affordable homes over the Local Plan period, we’ve had 220 so far and we’re halfway through it.

“These homes were going to be in addition to those built by developers under Section 106 agreements on new estates.

“If we delivered 600 more we’d be looking at around 800, that seems like a whacking great shortfall.

“How can we be sure we can deliver the 1,000 new homes given this catastrophic failure so far?

“Only about 15 per cent of what the council claimed it would build is set to be build in 2015.”

Cllr Stathers said:

“We’re in the very early stages of some amendments to our housing strategy, both for council housing stock and the open market.

“We felt it was good to set the 1,000 homes target, they’re much needed homes and if we can build them it gives us an opportunity at the same time to build ones fully fitted with green energy measures.

“The homes would increase our tax revenue and expenditure in our towns and villages.

“It’s very early days, we’ve set up a housing strategy steering group which will help guide us through the next few years and how we achieve those targets.”

Councillors also heard the cost of bringing the East Riding’s 11,418 social houses up to energy standards for the government’s 2050 carbon neutral target would be about £17,000 a property.

Council Strategic Investment and Development Manager Neal Beckett said 245 of the East Riding’s housing stock still had coal powered heating systems, in part because tenants had refused replacements.

Cllr Ben Weeks said the fact that there were still so many homes with coal powered heating “seemed a bit backward” given the East Riding’s recent climate emergency declaration.

The council’s Housing Revenue Account’s Principal Asset Officer Helen McEgan said there was currently no way to make tenants replace systems but that it could be written into future agreements.