The scale of the North East’s housing crisis has been exposed – with 43,000 households either homeless or living in unsuitable accommodation, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Daniel Holland.
Regional leaders have warned that urgent action is needed to accelerate the pace and scale of housebuilding in order to meet the demand.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness and council chiefs approved a plan on Tuesday which they hope will help deliver a target of 15,000 social and affordable homes over the next decade across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham.
That includes the investment of £143 million secured from the National Housing Delivery Fund to unlock 4,600 new homes by 2030, by providing targeted financial support to problem development sites where building has been blocked as a result of viability challenges, land remediation costs, or a lack of necessary infrastructure.
A study presented to the North East mayoral authority cabinet reveals how a total 42,961 across the region are living in “unsuitable housing”, more than 16,000 of which are suffering from overcrowding.
Around 4,300 are homeless or living in “concealed” arrangements, such as staying with friends or family, and demand for homelessness services has increased by 27% over the last five years – with more than one-third of those affected households including children.
The mayor’s office has warned that housing levels in the North East need to grow at a rate 40% higher than recent delivery levels, with particular concern over the shortage of affordable one-bedroom properties and the pressures placed on rural communities by limited housing supply and second home ownership.
An assessment carried out by Iceni Projects also highlights a “clear need to increase the supply of accessible, adaptable dwellings and wheelchair-user dwellings, as well as providing specific provision for older persons’ housing”.
Presenting her plans to a cabinet meeting at Durham’s Riverside cricket ground in Chester-le-Street, Ms McGuinness said that leaders had to be honest about the “housing crisis” that currently sees around 50,000 people on the region’s social housing waiting lists.
The Labour mayor added: “Families are stuck on waiting lists, young people are priced out of the places they grew up in, and too many households are spending more and more of their income simply keeping a roof over their heads.”
The mayoral authority confirmed that no specific sites had yet been confirmed for the targeted 4,600 house target by 2030.
Ms McGuinness has also called for the Government to hand mayors greater powers and funding to deliver a large-scale programme of retrofitting works, in order to cut energy bills in properties in need of modernisation.
Gateshead Council’s Reform leader Nick Allan told Tuesday’s cabinet meeting: “At a time when the North East faces a significant housing challenge, too many people are struggling to access good quality and affordable homes. Too many sites that could provide those homes are stalled by viability and infrastructure barriers.
“If we are serious about growing our economy, reducing inequality, and creating thriving communities we must increase the pace and scale of housing delivery.”
Daniel Holland
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
