Devon Housing Commission

The findings of the Devon Housing Commission were launched in Exeter the other week. The report outlines the position we are in and is supported by some excellent data. In short, we have been building mostly three and four bedroom properties. These new houses are lived in by older people who have moved to Devon from elsewhere in the country. I know it’s a sweeping generalisation but the facts and the figures bear this out.

In many ways, the report confirms what we know already. There’s no doubt the raw data will be incredibly useful as evidence for local plans and more. However, it is the recommendations that will make or break the Commission. At first glance I’m afraid I have to say I’m disappointed. Like local plans, the recommendations (like policies) need to be very concise and specific.

Second Home Council Tax

The recommendation that authorities double the council tax on second homes, with the extra money raised ring-fenced for housing is welcome. Most of that money will go to the County. They too have been encouraged to spend it on housing but, the impression we’re getting is they’re going to use it elsewhere. It would be a massive, missed opportunity. In a sense it’s a windfall tax and a great opportunity to resource the housing solutions.

We also need to close the loophole that allows holiday and second homes to switch to business rates. The previous government fiddled around the edges and came up with a classic fudge that has achieved very little. It’s pretty simple, if you own a domestic property, you pay council tax. Why should local taxpayers be subsidising these businesses?

National Targets don’t Work

It continues to be a great source of frustration that despite South Hams doing everything government has asked of us, the housing crisis goes from bad to worse. The council has built more houses and so-called affordable houses than the target number prescribed. Our Joint Local Plan contains plenty of allocated sites for more. The five-year land supply for housing is in place and yet local working families and key workers cannot afford to live here. Pensioners find it almost impossible to downsize locally. The system is broken.

The Commission has missed a great opportunity to challenge this government approach. Their own report has the evidence. Top-down targets may be a solution for some parts of the country, but it doesn’t work for us. When governments talk about compulsory housing targets, developer’s share prices go up. It’s not a coincidence.

Older People’s Housing

One recommendation calls for a specific allocation of older people’s housing. These allocations must be restricted for local people. Again, the report has highlighted how the present situation has resulted in older people moving to Devon. We should be doing everything we can to support our older local residents, especially if they are looking to downsize but remain in their local community. However, just restricting new houses for older people will not help us, we’ve got to keep them for locals.

Genuine Devolution

Above all, what we need is genuine devolution when it comes to housing. The problems we face are specific to us. The one size fits all Whitehall diktats don’t work. We know that doing nothing is not an option. We must provide the housing that our key workers need but can’t afford. It’s a local problem that local solutions will solve best.