LDP – 800 affordable homes claim

Home Forums Wrexham.com Forums Wrexham Forum LDP – 800 affordable homes claim

  • Author
    Posts
  • #175328

    Matt
    Participant

    Pretty shocking news but unsurprising for this lot that just 3 Exec Bigwigs have decided they want to strip 800 affordable homes out of the LDP.

    In no uncertain terms a little bird told us recently (thanks Alun) that councillors are more often than not likely to go after the income generating option rather than the options that are actually beneficial to those within the community – something that affordable homes provides. So you have to question what links are there between developers set to profit big time by being allowed to slap down more expensive houses and line their coffers and the secretive 4 who have yet to be named who have decided to facilitate this action. There’s got to be some kind of financial incentive in it for the council.

    Not suggesting anything shady, but something stinks. So much to the extent that Plaid have lodged in a formal complaint to the council monitoring officer over the short notice of this announcement before scrutiny.

    I know there’s definitely a few of you here in the Wrexham.com collective brain trust who know more than average Wrexhamite with things like the LDP and actions relating to affordable housing as we’ve touched on it when discussing the developments on Henblas. So look forward to hearing those inputs.

    At the end of the day we can all argue the toss about houses being worth fair market rate & having price comparisons to other more expensive areas such as Cheshire.

    But at the end of the day the very reality of the situation is that there are a complete lack of affordable homes either in terms of council and social housing provision, rentals or houses for sale for local families.

    It’s just idiotic for them to suggest that they are dealing with a housing shortage crisis in the county if they are not building the right mix of housing. It’s all well and good then wanting to throw down more and more £400,000+ Marford Mayfair Mansions when the majority of us would never in a million years be able to get a mortgage on them.

    Again this all pushes back into my suspicion that we will end up more and more a dormitory town as only affluent outsiders will be able to afford the places to go to their high paying jobs elsewhere.

    If the Exec Top Dogs are able to completely exclude 48 other councillors from their decision making process then you wonder what other DONE DEALS have occurred behind closed doors and are definitely happening but are only given to full council or put into a consultation as a courtesy to provide the illusion of democracy.

    Even though most of the difficult decisions are presented as a gauge to find out if the cuts are acceptable or not and Clr Pritchard claims no decisions have been made yet – you can guarantee council officers are already working on the plans to move to a 3 Week Collection.

    It doesn’t matter what I or anyone else thinks or cares or who it affects. We have hit a very low point with local democracy.

    The sad fact is the majority of sitting councillors will not stand up over the reduction of affordable housing or changes that massively impact on their constituents. I can count the councillors who will oppose these things and have integrity on one hand – they know who I’m referring to so kudos to them.

    #175330

    Ferret
    Participant

    Ignoring the latest sermon for a minute. Wrexham.com: it’s “fewer”. I know, “grammar police” blah blah. But you guys are hacks. It should matter.

    #175339

    DerekJackson
    Participant

    Glyndwr will be rubbing their hands as Dean Road land value up by about 20%

    #175340

    Matt
    Participant

    The planning inspector in charge of examining the LDP has stated that local councillors have no right to respond over losing the 800 affordable homes due to a secret deal. However, 10 housing developers will be allowed to speak.

    Courtesy of Clr Marc Jones for finding out this information.

    #175341

    jimbow
    Participant

    Only 4 asked to vote out of an Executive Board of 10. How is this democratic?

    #175374

    Matt
    Participant

    It seems it’s the developers wanting to overstep their mark as well. 200 houses given permission to be built along a certain part of the A483. Redrow – say they want to build 500 houses. They’ve not got the permission to do so.

    It has also become apparent that we don’t need as many houses as the developers are claiming – which means they are just trying to create pressure on local infrastructure and services because they think the council are a soft touch.

    If they start building houses everywhere like cowboys – we will need people standing outside the houses saying – look you might think you got a well priced and positioned house but good luck the council ever emptying the bins or providing you with any services whatsoever or having roads that won’t crock your nice cars.

    #175375

    Alunh
    Participant

    Thanks for taking my remark in one context to help beef up a point you were trying to make Matt. You’re a very naughty boy.

    I have no idea about the ins and outs of this issue and what exactly represents the “interest” of any Councillors. From the little I have read it seems clear that the economics of getting Social Houses built are more difficult for Councils to “encourage” in terms of getting built because the builders are financially driven. Hence whilst the UK figures for House Building have been reasonably buoyant of late, those for the so-called Social builds have been disappointing. Perhaps its easier for WCBC not to play King Canute on this subject.

    What I did pick up on in some of the recent political mumblings is that some of the political parties were more parochial than others where house building was concerned and seemed inclined to oppose schemes of Building that might attract incomers to Wrexham (Commuters in particular). Not sure what the agenda on that front is but it would appear to be vital to ensure that whatever template the authority follows maximises on the number of houses built (subject to the logistics of the build being satisfactory)

    #175380

    Matt
    Participant

    [quote quote=175375]Thanks for taking my remark in one context to help beef up a point you were trying to make Matt. You’re a very naughty boy.
    [/quote]

    Haha – consider it a compliment that you were there to provide the beef in the first place.

    Interesting point you make about the parochial councillors preventing commuters – I know the ones you mean.
    Then the template (the LDP) seems to be up for debate by numerous camps about whether or not it is fit for purpose in terms of providing the right mix of houses for the local area.

    Stakeholders being:

    1) Welsh Government – want to address a national housing shortage and want to stimulate as many houses built as possible but with affordable housing requirements attached – certainly in this area and a few other areas in North East Wales

    2) Individual Councillors and their Local Residents – Don’t want ANYMORE houses built in their respective local areas as they are worried it will put pressure on local infrastructure and services

    3) Council Planning Board – Seem to be trying to facilitate and broker the situation by making planning permission decisions and are passing some and rejecting others, but are of course collecting flak from all other parties. Unfortunately this recent secret meeting of 4 councillors has damaged their reputation and position of impartiality.

    4) Local families and people not on the property ladder – There is a vested interest for this grouping who quite simply just want to be able to move into their first home at an affordable price and therefore need affordable homes built, but this is being frustrated at every turn by other groups. Locals don’t want any houses built, the council will kowtow to the developers and try and strip affordable homes out and the developers don’t want to build them.

    5) Developers – They want to build as many properties as they can to maximise their profit but also remove any affordable housing requirements. This seems to put them at odds with just about everyone else and will make them the most unpopular.

    I can’t see this issue getting resolved any time soon – it’s just another ongoing saga we will no doubt be debating for a number of years. There’s been no headway made in terms of the local retail situation or schooling system so I can’t see this being any different.

    #175387

    Ioan y Ffin
    Participant

    Norfolk County Council’s new council houses just won the RIBA Stirling architecture prize. Meanwhile we get overpriced cardboard cut and paste housing from the likes of Redrow. Time for a change!!

Content is user generated and is not moderated before posting. All content is viewed and used by you at your own risk and Wrexham.com does not warrant the accuracy or reliability of any of the information displayed. The views expressed on these Forums and social media are those of the individual contributors.
Complaint? Please use the report post tools or contact Wrexham.com .

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

More...

Three ‘never events’ reported at health board during February

News

Clwyd South MS welcomes plans for baby loss certificates for bereaved parents

News

More detail on club accounts as owners will ‘continue to offer minority equity positions to strategic partners’

News

Turnover up 75% as Wrexham AFC say ‘losses shouldnt be repeated’ as payroll nears £7m

News

Lasit Spearheads a Clean Revolution: Laser Technology Redefines Industrial Cleaning

News

Shape Your Future: Unique Student Opportunities at Wrexham University

News