Developer defends Cirencester homes after claim 'only three' will be affordable
Summary
There is huge disappointment over the number of truly affordable homes in plans for the next stage of a 2,350-home expansion of Cirencester . District planners have approved a scheme for 129 homes and four ground floor community use spaces at land to the south west of Alexander Drive and east of The Maples.
Details
The proposals which detail the scale, layout, appearance and landscaping for the development are part of the Bathurst Estate’s wider The Steadings development. Cotswold District Council officers told the planning committee on August 11 that the scheme, which includes a mix of one to four bedroom properties, would provide 40 affordable homes and they recommended granting permission.
But there was concern only three of the properties would be for social rent and one councillor said the rest were not affordable. Liberal Democrat councillor Patrick Coleman (Stratton) expressed huge disappointment over the lack of truly affordable properties included in the scheme. He said: “How on earth with 129 dwellings do we think that 2.3 per cent social rented [properties] would be adequate?
“Given the difficulty that we’ve got in falling school numbers, given the difficulty that we’ve got with the cost of living?” He went on to reference the housing figures in the report. “It tells you that affordable rent [homes], which means unaffordable, will be 22, and there will be three social rent [properties] and 15 shared-ownership and 89 market [dwellings],” he added.
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“So three actually affordable properties, three four-bed dwellings. No apartments, none of those flats we just saw. “Why on earth can’t we have some affordable housing, ideally in apartments near a centre?” He asked how the council was persuaded given The Steadings application was approved with a “subnormal” percentage of social housing.
Officers explained that the plans before the committee were “in accordance with the outline planning permission”. “In terms of how affordable housing might be described in planning policy does allow for that mix,” case officer Julian Pye said.
“Whether you think that is the right thing or not, there is a variation on what an affordable unit might be.” Earlier in the meeting, Greg Evans, of Harper Crewe, said the company was “very familiar with Cirencester and delivering new homes at the town”. “Working with the Bathurst Estate, we have delivered the first phase of new homes at the Steadings which has been completed,” he said.
“And we are excited at the prospect of delivering further new homes at these sustainably located sites.” He also said the scheme responds to the character of the area and integrates with the nearby plots. During the debate, Conservative Councillor David Fowles (Coln Valley) proposed approving the scheme in line with the officers recommendation “seven years on from the outline planning application”.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live