South Hams District Council says it is "doing all it can" to help housing crisis

A year after declaring a housing crisis in the district, South Hams is "working hard to try and help the situation".

The council declared a housing crisis in September 2021 and laid down 12 specific actions it could take to try improving the problem.

A statement released today stated: "Among numerous actions taken to help since last September, the council has:

• Started building its own affordable homes for the first time in a generation at St Ann’s Chapel, near Bigbury
• Launched a scheme to incentivise downsizing homes for those living in a housing association or social housing property – with 15 homes already freed up and four more accepted on the scheme
• Launched an innovative new “Step On” pilot scheme to help people get on the housing ladder by helping with deposits on shared ownership homes
• Worked in partnership with Kingsbridge Town Council to invite expressions of interest on two council-owned sites in Kingsbridge, to bring forward affordable homes
• Lobbied Government, through MPs and the Local Government Association, for a licensing scheme with physical checks and an extension of the Regulation Act 2015 in areas with high numbers of second homes
• Built a new website for its ethical lettings agency in an afford to promote this further and encourage landlords to sign up
• Council Leader and South Hams Executive Member for Housing, Cllr Judy Pearce, also appeared at Westminster on 8 November to speak to a House of Lords Select Committee to discuss the challenges around short-term lets and the impact that has in the South Hams."

Cllr Pearce said: “We recognise that the problems surrounding housing in the South Hams – and across large parts of the country – are complex and often outside of our control. However, we want to do whatever we can as a Council to help alleviate the problems. It’s imperative that we continue to lobby Government to bring about legislative changes and continue to take opportunities to champion our causes.

“It’s also a priority to make best use of our existing housing stock and continue our work on our own housing sites, such as the two sites at Kingsbridge and to complete the new homes being built at St Ann’s Chapel and ensure they’re allocated to local people in housing need.”

Since declaring the crisis 14 months ago, the council has embedded its efforts to improve housing options in its Better Homes, Better Lives Housing Strategy, which will be refreshed in the coming months.

In that time, the size and significance of the crisis has appeared to grow, with new challenges arising. The war in Ukraine and Homes for Ukraine scheme, the cost-of-living crisis and global price rises in material and labour have aggravated issues surrounding the crisis.