Housing Need Appendix
Appendix 1
Housing Need And Background Information
November 2008
Department of Local Government and the Environment
Estates and Housing Directorate
Proposed Housing, Ridgeway Road, Onchan
Background Information in Support of Planning Application
1.0 Introduction
1.1
The Estates and Housing Directorate in the Department of Local Government and the Environment is responsible for:-
- Developing housing strategy and policy for the Island;
- Providing affordable housing for first time buyers and prospective public sector tenants;
- Improving the standard of housing for public sector tenants and private home owners;
- Providing and managing public sector housing for the Department’s tenants;
- Providing and managing Government Offices and public buildings for Government workers and the general public;
- Purchasing land and properties for affordable housing and provision of other public services;
- Providing advice and capital funding to Local Authorities for the provision, management and maintenance of public sector housing.
1.2
The Housing Strategy and Policy was set out in the Housing Policy Review 1999 and the main objective included in the Isle of Man Government Strategic Plan 2009-2011 for Housing (approved by Tynwald) is –
> “To do all that is possible to enable the provision of affordable and appropriate housing”.
In the DLGE Service Delivery Plan 2008, this is partly to be achieved by –
- Completing 487 public sector homes (231 new and 256 replacement) in the three years to March 2011
- Complete 250 new first time buyer homes in the three years to March 2011
1.3
This planning application is in respect of development which will contribute to meeting these objectives (see below).
2.0 Housing Need
2.1
The Department of Local Government and the Environment has been progressing the identification of sites for, and developing ‘affordable housing’ to meet the objectives, outlined in 1.2 (see current programmes of projects for first time buyer housing and public sector housing for rent attached).
Since 2001 over 482 new properties for sale to first time buyers have been completed along with some 577 public sector properties for rent.
