Plans for 300 affordable and council homes in Mansfield

The number of council-owned properties being built in Mansfield could be set to double under plans put forward by the district council.
Social home bungalows will be among the new properties.Social home bungalows will be among the new properties.
Social home bungalows will be among the new properties.

Councillors are due to discuss ambitious proposals to invest £51.9 million in almost 300 affordable and energy efficient council homes - adding to the plan for 147 that was agreed in 2018.

The council has built 226 new homes since 2010 at a cost of £30 million through its housing revenue account, though this figure is about £20 million after grants and other sources of funding are taken into account.

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Last year the council agreed to build and acquire 128 more homes at a cost of £21 million.

Social houses and affordable homes could be set to double in construction.Social houses and affordable homes could be set to double in construction.
Social houses and affordable homes could be set to double in construction.

This plan was adapted, after further design work, in the following months to allow for 147 homes at a cost of £24.3 million.

And now the authority wants to adapt the programme again and provide 299 homes, at a cost of £51.9 million by 2024. Alongside the previous £24.3 million, it has outlined borrowing of £27.6 million to fund the scheme.

It follows figures in the council's own housing documents that show demand for social housing has increased by 1,643 houses over the last two years - from 5,671 to 7,314 properties on the authority's Homefinder register.

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The council has said its plan aims to "meet the needs" of residents and a "high demand" of affordable properties.

Jill Finnesey, the council's head of housing, said: "This is an ambitious plan aimed at helping to meet the need for affordable housing in this district. "These plans align with the council’s strategies for Growth, Place, Aspiration and Health and Wellbeing, and complement the council's efforts to encourage private developers to grow the housing market in Mansfield and enhance the district as a great place to live.

"They also aim to help people wanting to take their first step on the housing ladder as affordable shared ownership properties will be among these new homes.

“The properties will be built in line with the council’s climate change agenda by being sustainable and energy efficient and the construction of them will provide employment and training opportunities for local people."

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They include at least 100 new homes in an expansion of its acclaimed Poppy Fields development for older people, and an estimated 80 homes through acquisition, development and renovation as part of a "masterplan" for the town centre and other strategic sites.

The new housing will provide family homes as well as helping to address the district’s need to cater for a growing ageing population, which increased by 22 per cent between 2006-2016.

The council’s proposed local plan estimates that the district will need 6,500 new homes between now and 2033.

There are currently more than 3,500 households in some form of priority need in bands one to three, on the council’s housing register.

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