In 2020 the Council took the decision to become a new provider of affordable housing, with Councillors approving a modest development programme of 50 homes. The Council transferred its original housing stock of 3200 homes to a housing association in 2002. This meant that we had no remaining housing development or management staff and so the Council went out to tender to find a contractor who could provide those services on our behalf. The Council appointed Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) as both our development and management agent. This means the Council have no direct day to day involvement in things like rent collection or undertaking repairs. NCHA already own and manage 10,000+ homes some of which are in the Derbyshire Dales.
Since 2021, the Council has taken ownership of homes in Over Haddon, Darley Dale, Matlock and Ashbourne. During 2023 we will also take on new homes in Tansley and Ashbourne. The Council has been allocated a grant of £2m from the government to buy homes for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees and so we are looking to buy homes in Matlock, Wirksworth, Darley Dale and Ashbourne.
We are providing homes in the following ways:
- Buying homes on the open market,
- Buying from developers who have to provide affordable homes on new housing sites (sometimes referred to as S106 schemes)
- Building new homes on land owned by the Council
We are also keen to work with the owners of empty properties, as we can buy empty homes and fund the renovation works. Improved homes can then be let to local people on affordable rents.
When we build our own council homes, we aim to achieve decent sized, well designed homes that are energy efficient. Our new homes should all achieve EPC A. When we buy an existing property we aim to achieve EPC B through improving insulation, adding solar panels and battery technology, better heating controls and any other features that will make homes warmer for the tenants.
The Council is focusing on 1 and 2 bedroom homes as we know that 50% of the Housing Register comprises single people. We are also realistic about how much the Council can afford to pay and how many homes we can afford to buy. The Council will focus our purchase and development of new homes on schemes that are usually under 10 homes in size. The Council is also aiming to provide truly affordable homes at social rents, helping to keep the cost of living to a minimum for our residents.
When homes are ready to be let, they will be advertised alongside other affordable homes through Home-Options.
