Affordable housing scheme discussed at Executive

17 February 2023

The Council’s Executive yesterday approved resources to help deliver an important affordable housing scheme in Kettering.  

If the scheme receives planning consent, it will deliver a number of benefits to the area including:

• The construction of eight affordable homes
• An increase the supply of affordable rented housing available in North Northamptonshire
• Increased provision of housing suitable for disabled people
• Development of a currently redundant brownfield site in a residential area
• A reduction in the likelihood of future vandalism and anti-social behaviour often associated with disused buildings.

Importantly, the project will be good for the Avondale Grange ward within which the proposed development is located.  This area has been designated as “left behind” and in need of additional investment under the Government’s levelling up agenda.

At its meeting, the Executive agreed to amend the budget for the project following a redesign of the site. This will ensure the finished homes meet the target EPC rating.  A revised budget is also needed to cover increased costs, due to the globally driven price rises.

The scheme will now go to the relevant Planning committee for discussion and it is anticipated a decision will be made on whether the scheme can go ahead in the coming months.

If approved by the Planning committee, the proposed scheme will see the existing building, formerly used as a church and community centre on Stamford Road in Kettering and construct eight new, affordable rented homes in its place.

This is an exciting project. Six of the eight homes have been designed to be accessible for disabled people in the form of four bungalows and two specially designed houses. This is particularly important, as there are a growing number of households on the housing register who require adapted homes.

We now await the decision by the Planning committee and will take the necessary steps once a decision has been made.Cllr Matt Binley, the council’s Executive Member for Housing, Communities and Levelling Up

This is an important project for this local community. It will help bring a currently disused site back into use, providing more affordable housing to the area. The revised budget will help make this project a reality and it is good that the costs of building this important project will be covered by long-term rental income of these new homes.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

If approved, the properties will be owned, managed and maintained by North Northamptonshire Council.

The full Executive paper can be viewed online.