Issue - meetings

Councillor Green made the following comments:

i.               Noted that this was a clear statistical document which suggested that 700 houses would be built per year.

ii.             Questioned how much affordable housing was being delivered and what proportion was being built by the private sector.

The Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development made the following comment:

i.               The Council published a separate monitoring report which detailed the number and type of houses that were built each year which recorded the performance against the housing trajectory. This was available on the council’s website.

ii.             This was a heavily statistical report which had a forward looking calculation of completions.

The Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces:

i.               Thanked officers for preparing the document.

ii.             The monitoring report showed that over the last 5 years in Cambridge City the average number of affordable houses delivered was 41%.

iii.            Would provide the Committee with the average number of social rented affordable houses which had been delivered.

Councillor Green commented:

i.               Wanted to know what the two authorites were doing to increase the supply of affordable housing; particularly by the private sector.

ii.             Referred to page 3 of the appendix of this agenda item.  There had been an increase in affordable homes, 60 in 2011, 667 in 2017 and 345 in 2019.

iii.            Wanted reassurance that the private sector would deliver affordable housing.

iv.           Was worried the burden of providing affordable housing would fall on the council.

v.             Had concerns especially in light of the pandemic.

vi.           Needed more affordable housing on stream.

The Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development made the following comment:

i.               Was happy to bring a report back to Committee.

ii.             The affordable housing figures were likely to be private sector provision as the figures referred to completions and the City Council’s affordable housing programme had not yet been completed.

iii.            Would provide a breakdown between the private and public sector of affordable housing provision.