Share your views on Homes Strategy
A new strategy has been created outlining Darlington’s vision to provide high quality homes to meet the housing needs of residents and ensure access to safe, comfortable and sustainable housing for all, with a real focus on the building of new affordable homes, including council homes.
Darlington Borough Council’s Homes Strategy 2025-2030 has been developed with the support of local partners and organisations, and members of the Cabinet will next week (Tuesday 8 July) be asked to give the go ahead for it to go out to public consultation.
The new strategy will provide a framework for the council and its partners as we aim to maintain and improve the quality of housing across the borough.
Councillor Chris McEwan, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for the economy, explained: “Our Homes Strategy is a vital part of our bid to improve the quality of life for all in Darlington and to ensure it remains a place where people want to live, work and visit.
“It links in with our other policies and strategies, such as the Local Plan, putting people first and focusing on the housing needs of our residents which includes meeting the needs of our ageing population and supporting those who need additional help to live independently.
“While building the right type of homes, including both social and affordable homes, in the right places supports economic growth, the strategy is not just about building more homes.
“We also aim to improve the standards of existing housing and will be investing in energy efficiency improvements over the next three years, including loft and wall insulation, double glazing and doors to help cut tenants’ bills and tackle fuel poverty.
“The council is also part of two Tees Valley consortiums which have successfully gained funding this year, including £3.55m from the Government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund to improve council housing in Darlington and £13.9m from the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme to improve homes across the Tees Valley.”
Councillor Matthew Roche, cabinet member for health and housing, added: “Everyone in Darlington should have a secure, affordable place to call home, but this is not something we can manage on our own and we will build on the relationships we already have with partners and developers to achieve this.
“The new strategy will play an important part of those efforts going forward and we are now set to launch a formal consultation with the public. We want to hear your views, so do please let us know what you think.”
The strategy sets out the council’s long-term vision of providing high quality homes in attractive places across all tenures, meeting the housing needs of residents and ensuring access to safe secure, comfortable and sustainable housing for all.
This will be achieved through three key objectives:
- Building homes, with an emphasis on social and affordable provision, to meet local needs
- Improving the standards of existing housing, achieving net zero carbon ad revitalising neighbourhoods
- Meeting the needs of our ageing population and supporting people to live independently.
You can view the proposed Homes Strategy 2025-2030 along with the agenda and other Cabinet papers on our website at www.darlington.gov.uk/cabinet then click on ‘Browse meetings and agendas for this committee’.
If approved by Cabinet, the consultation will formally begin soon afterwards and will run for six weeks.