Council "invests more into its own housing stock"

South Hams District Council is "investing in more council homes for rent as part of its drive to tackle the affordable housing crisis".

The council’s Executive Committee has agreed today, 6 March, to purchase the three remaining properties at Holywell Meadow in St Ann’s Chapel, Bigbury. Originally planned for the open market, the three 3-bedroom homes will now be available for rent, supporting the council’s drive to help local people who have a housing need.

St Ann’s Chapel, an area highly affected by the dominance of second homes and holiday accommodation, will benefit from three new energy efficient homes offered to those with a local connection to the area.

The council has ringfenced £300,000 of second home council tax income to help fund projects such as these. This money will be used to address housing challenges across the South Hams and support local people who suffer the most from second homes.

At the same meeting, the Executive also approved the proposed Housing Action Plan for next year, demonstrating its commitment to deliver the right homes in the right places for its communities.

As well as creating housing at Holywell Meadow, the council has been taking huge strides to help ease the pressure on temporary accommodation – it will soon open the doors to its new unit in Kingsbridge. The council has purchased 17 homes under the Local Authority Housing Fund scheme, and a number of housing projects are underway to deliver more even more affordable homes for local people.

Councillor Denise O’Callaghan, Exec Member for Housing at South Hams District Council said: “We are thrilled to be using the second home council tax income to offer more affordable homes for local people, particularly in an area highly affected by rising house prices.

“We want to make the biggest difference for our communities, and we know these three properties will go a long way in helping local people who are struggling to find an affordable home.”

Much like the eight existing council owned homes at Holywell Meadow, the three new properties will also benefit from state-of-the-art energy saving technology. The homes are highly insulated, triple-glazed units, with underfloor heating and ventilation systems, helping tenants save money on their energy bills.

Each home also offers two parking spaces, an electric charging point and access to green spaces for the whole community to enjoy.

The homes will be available via Devon Home Choice in the coming weeks.

Cllr Bernard Taylor, Ward Member for Charterlands said: “There is still such a high need for more affordable rental properties in the area so we are delighted that more new homes will be available for local people.

“The properties at Holywell Meadow are fantastic, so we know its new residents will be very happy there.”