Hackney ,
30
September
2014
|
11:04
Europe/London

Have your say on the housing situation in Hackney

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New homes are being built all over the borough, and residents’ views are needed on whether new housing meets local demand amid ever-rising prices and private rents.

The survey is being organised by the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission, which is made up of Hackney councillors investigating issues of local concern, such as housing.

The type of new homes being built, by companies and organisations including housing associations and private developers, as well as Hackney Council, depends on a range of national, regional and local planning and housing guidelines.

This includes a Hackney target that 50 per cent of new homes should be made available at lower than market cost (although this is subject to some individual characteristics of each development, including size). The Commission is looking into whether these guidelines and targets are proving effective or not in delivering new homes for social renting, for example.

The Commission is keen to hear residents' views on the housing market in Hackney; the role and approach the Council should take towards new housing developments; and whether residents would support the Council asking the government for further powers to control the kind of housing being built.

Other areas for examination include how effective national, London-wide and local planning policy and regulations are in ensuring homes for social renting and shared ownership are built within new private housing developments; and the funding challenges that housing associations face in building new homes for renting.

Department for Communities and Local Government New Homes Bonus figures show that since 2011, the third highest number of homes for social renting and shared ownership built anywhere in the country has been in Hackney, with 2,299 properties completed – but does this meet local demand?

There is understandably a lot of concern around the availability of genuinely affordable housing, not just in Hackney, but across the capital as a whole. By holding housebuilders and developers, including Hackney Council, to account over their record we hope that we will be able to build trust and confidence among residents who may not always feel that developers, including housing associations, are on their side on this issue.
Cllr Clayeon McKenzie, Chair of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission

Following the review, the Commission will be able to consider all information gathered and present these clearly. Any lessons learnt along the way will be used to help suggest how things might be done differently.

The deadline for taking part in the survey is 5pm on 11 December – to take part, visit our consultation page.