More than 1,500 Havant families waiting for housing as council admits shortage

Havant Borough Council's cabinet met this afternoon to discuss a housing delivery action plan, after consistently failing to meet requirements for new housing.

These action plans are legally required when delivery falls below 95 per cent over the past three years.

Council officers fear this could fall even further to 75 per cent if action isn’t taken, but have pinned this on circumstances ‘outside our control’ such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

As of last week, more than 1,500 families in the borough are still waiting for new homes.

Today, councillors vowed to do more to promote sites for development and fast-track major housing projects, but others warned that brownfield sites – previously developed land – must be given priority.

Deputy council leader Cllr Gary Hughes, cabinet lead for planning, Hayling seafront strategy and commercial services, said: ‘We have a moral obligation to provide new houses for young people, so they can have the same life chances we enjoyed.

‘Factors outside our control have significantly lowered housing delivery, such as the need to be nitrate neutral and the Covid-19 pandemic.’

Ward councillor for Bondfields, Cllr Alex Rennie, said: ‘As I look outside my window I can see houses being built right now. We are still building homes in this borough.

‘A lot of the problems we have faced have been out of our control, but I think this action plan will set us on the right course.’

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To get back on track, the council is hoping to push through major developments such as new housing off Southleigh Road in Denvilles.

But concerns have been raised about the sustainability of new developments.

Giving a deputation, ward councillor for St Faith’s, Cllr Tim Pike, said greenfield sites should be preserved as much as possible.

He said: ‘We have 1,632 families on our housing waiting list, and need to deliver these homes for them.

‘We are fortunate to have a good new local plan and a talented team of officers, but development must be delivered on brownfield sites.

‘The bottom line is we need to get started on our major development sites like Southleigh.’

The cabinet voted unanimously in favour of the action plan.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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