A Southampton City Council Cabinet member has written to Hazel Blears about the pressures on family housing in the city.
Southampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for
Environment and Transport, Councillor Gavin Dick, has written to the
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Hazel
Blears MP, aiming to raise her awareness for the pressures of family
housing, as Southampton is seeing an increasing decline in this
accommodation, making way for flats and shared housing.
In his letter to Mrs Blears, he says: “Whilst this authority is fully behind the delivery of housing targets and is well on track to meet its housing requirement of 16,300 homes by 2026, the intensification and densification that is required to meet such targets is a real challenge to existing family suburbs.”
He then goes on to explain that we are seeing a net loss of family housing that is available in the city due to a number of homes being converted into shared housing. As a result, he said that we are facing adverse environmental pressures, local services such as dentists and doctors being put under pressure, as well as parking pressures and late-night noise.
Cllr Dick writes: “It is frustrating that whilst powers exist for licensing under the housing act and to act against anti-social behaviour, these do not align with the Town and Country Planning System. I write to ask you that during the process of considering changes to the planning system as a result of the White Paper, you seriously consider amending the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes Order) 1995 to effectively bring dwellings under group occupation within a defined class and therefore within the control of the planning system. Whether or not such dwellings currently require planning permission is a grey area.”
Cllr Dick argues the effects raised by this issue are that the city is facing a deterioration of the family housing stock and character of the city. The ability of the city to be truly sustainable and have a vibrant future is therefore being threatened.
Cllr Dick is currently awaiting a reply from Mrs Blears.
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21st January 2025