DELIGHT AS NEW FUNDING SECURED FOR CLIFTON COUNCIL HOUSE PROJECT (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

DELIGHT AS NEW FUNDING SECURED FOR CLIFTON COUNCIL HOUSE PROJECT

September 8, 2010 10:00 AM

Councillor Andrew Waller

Plans to build York's first council houses in over 20 years have been resurrected today after it was announced new funding has been found to support the development.

The future of the scheme to build new Council Houses off Lilbourne Drive in Clifton had been uncertain following the withdrawal of Government funding but Council Officers were able to secure new funding from a new pot of funding made available by the Homes and Communities Agency.

The development will see nine two-bed homes and 10 three -bed homes built to top environmental standards. The proposed development is one of only a handful nationally that will achieve the code level 5 rating for sustainability.

A code rating of 5 is the second highest rating available under the rating system devised by the Department for Communities and Local Government. It means the houses have double the sustainability rating of standard building regulations.

The Homes and Communities Agency will be providing £1.12m to support the project and remainder of the £2.6m scheme will be funded by City of York Council. The funding provided by the Council will be repaid from rental income from the new homes over a 30 year period.

Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Andrew Waller welcomed the announcement that new funding for the project had been secured.

He said, "I am delighted that we have been successful in bidding for funding for this project, it is a strong proposal and we were confident that we would be able to convince the Homes and Communities Agency of the benefit of these new homes. Whilst the Labour party in York was busy talking down York's chances of getting this funding for their political gain, we stuck to promoting the advantage of building new homes to high environmental standards and I am glad that this approach has worked."

"It has been a long time since any new council houses were built in York and the construction of these new homes will provide a much needed boost to the local construction industry and will be a welcome addition to the Council's stock of housing."

Cllr Waller said "Last Friday we were able to show the Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, Sir Bob Kerslake, around the city and how we were making a bid to be a 'Centre of Excellence for Eco Construction,. The visit included the Discus Bungalows project which had been kept going during the recession by intervention by the HCA, and to the pilot homes for Derwenthorpe."

Yesterday it was announced that Sir Bob Kerslake would be taking up the post of Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government on 1st November.