Affordable housing is priority for local area

Jul 1 2009 by Graham Mann, East Kilbride News

Affordable housing is priority for local area

THE need for more affordable housing in East Kilbride must be addressed according to a local political party.

The East Kilbride Alliance welcomed South Lanarkshire Council’s recent bid to purchase 61 properties in Lindsayfield but insist more must be done to tackle a severe lack of housing provision in the town.

Two affordable housing needs studies were carried out in 2004 and 2007 and East Kilbride was identified as one of the areas in South Lanarkshire in greatest need of affordable rented housing.

Housing stock in the county has fallen dramatically over the years from over 69,000 under East Kilbride Development Corporation and the four former District Councils to the current level of just over 26,000 under the present local authority.

East Kilbride has lost more council houses than most with just 4944 council houses left for rent from an original stock of over 24,700.

A spokesman for the East Kilbride Alliance said: “East Kilbride has a quarter of the people on a waiting list for housing in South Lanarkshire, and this means that the town is suffering under a great strain. We are regularly contacted by local people who cannot afford to live in the town they call home as they are unable to find affordable rented accommodation.

“This announcement by SLC will help a large number of families.

“The East Kilbride Alliance in our local election manifesto recommended this policy as we saw housing issues as one of the most important problems facing the town. However, our policy is that in conjunction with housing providers the allocation of homes is given first and foremost to people and families who have a connection to East Kilbride. This policy would end the scandal of East Kilbride people, particularly the young being forced to move away from the town.

“The decision to buy these homes is, in our opinion, only a first step, and will only make a very small dent in those needing housing in the town. So, we are asking SLC to continue this strategy of obtaining more affordable accommodation in the town and we believe it is reasonable to expect a further eight hundred homes to be added to the housing stock in the near future.

“SLC will however have to employ great energies into this task by vigorously applying for funding, and co-operating with housing associations; for instance giving public housing providers preferential treatment in terms of the sale of available land.”

The Lindsayfield site was originally started by MCA Homes before it was mothballed due to market conditions.

Local developers BMJ properties stepped in to buy the project, which had been given planning consent for 81 flats, and they are now in talks with SLC about a possible sale.

An SLC spokeswoman said the council recognised the great pressure on available affordable housing within the town and that meeting affordable housing need in the town remains a top priority.

She added: “This is why over the past two years, working with local housing associations, we have supported provision of 109 new homes on sites previously owned by the council including 48 amenity homes for rent at Riverton Drive, and Kirktonholme Crescent and 41 homes for rent and 20 homes for shared equity sale at Cedar Drive in the town.

“In addition, over the next two to three years plans are being developed for the provision of approximately 150 affordable new homes for rent on three more former Council owned sites at the former Claremont House site in St Leonards and at the former St Andrew’s High school and the former Crosshouse Primary School sites.

“In addition to council-owned land, the council has included within it’s new South Lanarkshire Local Plan a requirement for of all new residential developments of 20 units or more to include a 25 per cent contribution to help meeting the affordable housing shortage. The council, working with local housing associations, will continue to seek additional funding and endeavour to make the best use of available resources to increase the provision of affordable housing within the town.”

What do you think? Contact gmann@s-un.co.uk