Manchester plans 3,000 new council homes following debt cap axe

Taking advantage of the axing of the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap, the council plans to provide an initial 300 affordable homes by March 2022.

The new strategy, which will be presented to the council’s executive on Wednesday, says the council will officially call on the government to devolve Right to Buy, meaning the authority would be able to suspend it.

The council will seek powers to exempt the new homes from Right to Buy.

A further 500 plots will be released on small sites to registered housing providers by March 2019, all of which are to be completed by March 2022 and a third of which are to be let at social rent.

A study will also be conducted into how a portion of the new affordable homes can be built within the city centre, in response to growing pressure from inner-city councillors.

Responding to the interest of several grassroots groups, the council will explore the feasibility of at least three community-led housing projects and will develop a community-led housing strategy by summer 2019.

There are currently 13,000 people and families on the housing waiting list in Manchester.

Suzanne Richards, executive member for housing and regeneration at Manchester City Council said: “These new policies signal a bold new approach to deliver genuinely affordable homes that meet the needs of all Manchester people.

“As housing demand has increased and social housing has been lost through Right to Buy we have seen many residents on lower incomes unable to access the safe, secure housing that they need.

“This review of housing affordability is critical to understanding what we can do to improve access to decent, secure and affordable homes for Manchester people.”