The first affordable housing scheme in the Borough of Melton using New Homes Bonus (NHB) monies got underway in Somerby on 30th May 2012.
Leader of the County Council David Parsons and Melton North county councillor Pam Posnett, who has recently been appointed to Leicestershire’s ruling Cabinet, were at the sod-cutting ceremony to officially launch the latest phase of the Conservative strategy to make good our promise to deliver affordable housing, particularly in rural areas.
The Somerby scheme will deliver 7 units in total, of which 5 will be for rent and 2 for shared ownership. LCC is committing £188,000 towards this project with Melton Borough Council contributing £87,000. David Parsons said: “I am delighted that this scheme is going ahead. It just shows what being in local government is all about when you get together with organisations like Nottingham Community Housing Association, Melton Borough Council, Somerby Parish Council and the Rural Housing Enabler to make these schemes possible. All the different pieces of the jigsaw have fitted in perfectly to deliver these much needed units of affordable housing.”
Pam Posnett, who represented Melton Borough Council at the ceremony said: “LCC has committed all of its NHB to deliver new housing. We are nationally recognised as a model for best practice for other councils to follow, as reflected in a recent Homes and Communities Agency publication. It is extremely important that Conservatives continue to deliver these housing schemes, not just in Melton Borough, but across the County.”
So far, Conservatives have committed £500,000 funding towards affordable housing in rural areas. The first area to benefit was Sapcote in the Blaby district, which got underway in March 2012 and will deliver 12 units in total. A further 5 schemes are to be supported with NHB cash from LCC during 2012/13 working with other district councils, including NW Leicestershire District Council and Harborough District Council to deliver up to 30 units of affordable housing (for rent and shared ownership) in communities such as Tilton, Husbands Bosworth, Breedon, Bitteswell and Elmsthorpe. These schemes rely on support from a range of partners. They need matched funding from the local housing authority and support from organisations like East Midlands Housing Group and the Rural Housing Enabler to identify suitable, and crucially, available land.
David Parsons said: “I am determined to keep working with our Conservative allies in the district councils to get these much needed units of affordable housing shovel ready. It is only by rolling your sleeves up and getting on with the job that you see words transformed into actions transforming people’s lives for the better.”