City of York Council has issued an update on its plans to provide hundreds of new homes.
The council says its housing delivery programme will deliver 600 new homes over the next few years, which is not quite a quarter of the total housing needed.
Of these, at least 40% will be ‘affordable’, more than twice the amount required by planning laws.
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“This programme is making a significant contribution to the city’s housing stock as well as leading the way in terms raising housing standards and developing local construction supply chains,” said a council statement.
Planning permission has been secured and tendering is underway for the Burnholme and Duncombe Barracks.
Cllr Nigel Ayre, executive member for finance and performance, said: “The government planning system is broken and is not delivering the homes which the country needs.
“Relying on private developers leads to land banking and lower delivery of affordable homes.
“The latest methodology U-turn has turned its back on actual statistics to shunt housing growth from leafy Tory seats in the south to areas of the north. As a result, York is currently being asked to demonstrate almost twice the supply it needs.
“When the Local Plan is adopted, we will be comfortably delivering the actual five-year land supply with significant flexibility. Despite all these hurdles, our delivery in York is strong and this plan will take that to the next level.”
In the five years to 2020-21 the council delivered on average 789 net additional homes, says a council report. This was a significant increase on the 555 net additional homes delivered between 2011/12 and 2015/16.
The housing delivery programme will be discussed at the council executive meeting tonight (Thursday).