Housing Meeting at 3 North Street, Lewes – Thursday 5th October 2017 at 7.30pm
Present: Maggie Symons (minutes), David Nicholson, Debbie Twitchen, Annie Hailey, Tilly Grivell, Lin Heyworth, Louis Blair, Rita Ellis, Caroline Pick, Jennifer Chibnall, Liz Thomas, Nick Belcher, Emily Clarke (convenor), Ruth O’Keefe
Apologies: Chris Smith, Tony Rowell, Jo Carter
Proposed outcomes
- To campaign for social housing on all land as it becomes available across Lewes District.
- To campaign to stop the sale of any further housing under the right to buy scheme, until housing stock has been restored to address the Lewes District waiting list.
Updates from Debbie Twitchen re. current Lewes District Housing List
This has fallen from just under 2000 to 1000 households because of death, households/people moving or households can’t be traced. However this is due to increase sharply because there are 50 applications per week already and there is concern that this will rise with the introduction of Universal Credit to all areas of the country. Many of those people receiving Universal Credit will get into debt and may become homeless. As there is not sufficient temporary housing the council will be paying private landlords at very high rents to house them.
Solution to lack of housing – Z pods proposed by Liz Thomas
Bill Dunster OBE has designed micro homes on stilts above car parks and other spaces, which can save space and decrease cost for homeowners. The advantage to this system is that although the company take the rent the land remains with the council so housing can be produced quickly to meet a need but can be removed easily when the need disappears. We should be insisting that the council uses small car parking sites, for example in Little East Street for pods or low cost housing because we, the people, have already paid for the land.
Temporary accommodation for the District Council figures provided by Debbie Twitchen
Long term hostel accommodation 0
Women’s refuge 3
Leased by LDC 24
Leased by BH 1
LDC stock 30
There was some discussion about Saxonbury and Ruth O’Keefe said that it cannot be knocked down because there is a Saxon burial site in the grounds. Debbie said it was used for temporary housing and retained by the council but it is being redeveloped for private sale and any money made will go back to HRA (Housing Revenue Account). Although it was argued that redevelopment should be for social housing that was deemed not viable. The sale will go to local people first but not at sensible or affordable prices.
Discussion
There was a far ranging discussion about social housing and the need for a Labour Government to build social housing. Emily Clarke said that because the need for housing is so pressing we can’t wait for a Labour government and we should be campaigning to get the message out about the need locally.
It was felt by some that there has been a change in the perception of social housing. Emily said she felt that when council houses were first built it was an aspirational thing to live in one. Unfortunately, with the loss of so many council houses, now only the really desperate are housed and social housing can be viewed negatively by some. Others felt that this was not true in Lewes and could be an unhelpful discussion. All agreed that any new housing should be mixed with both private and social housing.
Emily was keen to make collaborative short videos for social media on housing, showing the local need and giving council tenants, private renters and those unable to afford a home in Lewes a voice.
The Right to Buy has reduced the amount of council housing and Landport Estate in Lewes was given as an example – out of the 792 council houses built many are now privately owned with only about 50% remaining as social housing.
In attractive, affluent areas social/economic cleansing is taking place where people with low incomes are being moved out. Tory policy is to have no councils funds for housing so councils will be unable to provide services.
1000 new houses to be built in the next five years to cope with the current need.
Our campaign – possible sites for housing
Our campaign needs to engage with everyone across Lewes District, particularly those in need of social housing, to make sure that this crisis in housing and the reasons for it are understood.
There was discussion about the St Anne’s site and whether or not the history with the council and previous proposals, Subud etc might make it too difficult to navigate. It was agreed that the field behind the school would be an excellent site for housing and a proposed one way system for traffic could make the site accessible. Lin Heyworth said It has been empty for 10 years and much time and money has been wasted e.g. £20,000 spent buy the Security Board to employ external consultants. The plans for this site are ongoing with ecological surveys being carried out. In the Neighbourhood Plan St Anne’s has 26 new houses designated for the site. The Community Land Trust is keeping an eye of what is happening at the site and has put in a plan for its development. It may be a Community Asset Transfer and there is an agreement between LDC and Community Land Trust that The Right to Buy is not used so housing would stay with the tenants. Emily Clarke suggested that the previous exposure in the local press on St Anne’s might actually work in our favour as the council needs to be seen to be doing the right thing, so perhaps this would be a good campaign focus with backing a Lewes CLT proposal for example.
Police Garage opposite Cannon O ‘Donnell Hall in Spital Road is the other large site in Lewes for development which needs to be earmarked for housing.
Nick Belcher described the problems in rural areas around Lewes – There is no council housing so local children have to move away because they cannot afford house prices. Developments produce ‘nimbyism’, moneyed people get pretty areas turned into preservation zones so housing can’t be built. It seems that in rural areas home owners see 6 or so houses are acceptable but 30+ is not. Large houses are built because they make the most profit for developers whilst smaller developments mean that ‘affordable housing is not compulsory as part of the deal.
What can we do? – Suggestions
- Councils should build small houses to reduce profit margin – Developers profits are now around 25% which is far too high.
- Push for council houses to be built on all sites.
- 50% of the land for development should pass from the developers to the council so the council can build the house which are needed.
- Hold the council to account to make sure they get on with building.
- Produce a local policy for children who were brought up, educated, have lived here to be able to buy a property as Petersfield have.
Action points before next meeting
- Get behind the Community Land trusts
- Get Louis Blair to send over most up to date info from Lewes CLT
- Find out status of CAT at St Anne’s site – Lin Heyworth
- Look at neighbourhood Plan to confirm the number of affordable/social housing at St Anne’s – Liz Thomas
- Disseminate info from this meeting to SNAP branch and any other groups who need it – Maggie Symons
- Plan social media videos and get local people involved – contact Emily Clarke if you are interested
- Bring any info about St Anne’s to next meeting as this is likely to be the initial focus because the council and Lewes CLT already have a good relationship.
- Ruth O’Keefe to have a look at the plan for St Anne’s and share any info she can with the group at next meeting.
Meeting closed at 8.45 p.m.
Next meeting on Tuesday 7th November at 3 North Street, Lewes, at 7.30 p.m.
L.A.S.H 