HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES Housing: Fresh Thinking, New Ideas
Scotland’s housing system must adapt with “radical thinking and bold new ideas” to the financial realities presented by reductions in public spending, according to a discussion document published by Scottish Ministers on 24 May 2010. Housing: Fresh Thinking, New Ideas poses fundamental questions about the way homes can be built, allocated, funded and managed in the future and is linked to a new website where members of the public can contribute to the debate. In the foreword, Nicola Sturgeon MSP states that “it is clear that we now face the prospect of a sustained and substantial reduction in the capital resources available to the Scottish Government. Together with the scale of the unresolved challenges facing housing, and of the new opportunities emerging, this means that just carrying on with what we are doing is not an option.
To make progress we will need to change the way we produce, allocate, price, manage and think about housing.”
The document considers the housing policies that are needed to meet the challenges of the coming years. Five themes are discussed: ◆ Chapter 1 examines the evidence about housing need and asks where government’s priorities should lie. ◆ Chapter 2 examines some new and emerging ways of generating investment in new affordable housing, and asks which of these methods have most potential for the future. ◆ Chapter 3 focuses on the existing stock, and asks how we might make more flexible use of these assets to support greater choice and better housing outcomes for all. ◆Chapter 4 raises the issue of the
quality of our homes and the places we create, including the challenge of reducing carbon emissions. ◆ Chapter 5 considers how each of the main players in the housing system can play their part in addressing the challenges. The document outlines the Scottish Government’s
commitment to a second round of funding for Rural Homes for Rent, and also advises that the scheme will be expanded to include the renovation of empty properties. The publication of the discussion document is viewed by the Scottish Government as the starting point for a broad discussion about housing policy, which will take place throughout the summer. Members who wish to contribute to the SRPBA response should forward comments to the Head of Policy by 23 July. Details are on http://housing
discussion.scotland.gov.uk/home
SRPBA gives views on proposed Private Housing Bill
The Scottish Government recently consulted on issues that may be included in the Private Housing Bill. The consultation covered issues specific to the private rented sector, along with licensing of mobile home sites. The paper also sought views on proposals to change the 20-year rules that currently limit the length of residential leases and allow the redemption of a standard security over a property in return for the payment of the outstanding amount of the loan plus any charges. This is an issue that the SRPBA and others raised during the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Environment Committee’s Rural Housing Inquiry.
The consultation ran until 19 April and it is intended that the Private Housing Bill will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament in autumn. A briefing note providing further details of the proposals is available on the SRPBA website.
In its response, the Association welcomed many of the proposals,
including powers for landlords to deal with abandonment, but expressed concerns regarding the continuing piecemeal changes to landlord registration and asked for clarity on the government’s commitment for a full-scale review of the registration legislation. In addition, the SRPBA stated that the proposals in relation to overcrowding appear to be written from the general presumption that the landlord allows, or even actively encourages, overcrowding within their properties. However, the SRPBA suggested that overcrowding in most cases occurs because of the tenant – and mostly through a conscious decision on their part. Feedback from our membership suggests that due to the longer length of occupancy within the rural private rented sector, overcrowding can occur as a result of normal family growth where a lack of alternative accommodation exists.
The SRPBA believes that further LANDBUSINESS ISSUE 36 JUNE-JULY 2010
consideration is required to ensure that this issue, and implications of taking action to addressing overcrowding, are fully understood by all parties. The SRPBA also asked for further dialogue with the Scottish Government in relation to problems being faced by landlords in recovering possession through the court process. With regard to the change to the 20-year rules, the SRPBA underlined its views that amendments to the current legislation would enable increased delivery of affordable housing in rural areas, through the long lease of land to housing associations or community groups or housing trusts.
The Association has had a number of meetings with the Scottish Government on this issue and will keep members informed regarding any developments.
The full response is available on the SRPBA website at
www.srpba.com
Consultation on tree
Preservation Orders
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation inviting views on the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 and the Model Tree Preservation Order (TPO). The main changes proposed are: ◆ Updating the regulations and Model Order to reference the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 rather then the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972. ◆ The Model Order will no longer be contained within the regulations; rather, the Model Order will be guidance, with the contents of a TPO ultimately a matter for the planning authority. ◆ Introducing a new procedure where a TPO is not confirmed. The new procedure ensures that those with an interest and those who made representations are informed that a TPO has not been confirmed. ◆ Introducing to the regulations procedures for varying and revoking TPOs.
The consultation can be found at
www.scotland.gov.uk/ publications/2010/04/16114715/0 and members should forward comments to
sarah-jane.laing@
srpba.com by 28 June.
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