New interim housing strategy will help all ages

Cheshire East Council is developing a new interim housing strategy to create a housing supply that meets the needs of residents across the generations.

The council is proud of its record in helping people to keep a roof over their head, to avoid rough sleeping and homelessness and to keep families together. 

It is therefore developing a new interim strategy to meet today’s demands, and to replace a strategy first introduced in 2018.  

Residents, and all interested parties, are asked to contribute to an important consultation, which seeks to tackle new challenges, such as higher house prices, ageing demographics, low wages and access to services.  

Although the council does not provide housing stock it has a strong record in seeing that affordable quality homes (2,349 between April 2018 and March 2022), are built in the borough, exceeding the Local Plan target by more than 900 homes. 

In addition, the council has prevented 5,555 households from becoming homeless, and its permanent rough sleeper team is proactive in supporting rough sleepers into temporary, or permanent, accommodation.  

The council has also secured nearly £8m in funding for a domestic energy efficiency project.  

Councillor Michael Gorman, chair of the council’s economy and growth committee, said:

“I am confident we have an impressive record where housing policy is concerned, helping to ensure that sufficient numbers of affordable homes are built in the borough, and that families are not left without a roof over their heads.

 “This interim strategy contributes towards a number of objectives within the Corporate Plan. It will enable access to well designed, affordable and safe homes for residents, contribute towards our carbon neutral policy, reduce health inequalities and support the regeneration of our towns and villages.                             

“It will also help to improve social inclusion, the educational achievements of our children, and promote economic wellbeing.” 

The interim strategy consultation has opened and will be available for comments for 12 weeks. Revisions can be made and the strategy put to the council’s economy and growth committee for approval. 

The draft strategy has five immediate priorities: 

• Improving access to affordable housing; 
• Meeting people’s specialist housing needs; 
• Preventing homelessness and rough sleeping; 
• Improving housing standards; and 
• Enabling independent living.   

Councillor Gorman added:

“Our housing supply needs to encourage an inflow of younger, economically active workers as well as providing suitable provision for an ageing population, and the most vulnerable.                                                                                     

“The interim strategy will have to be reviewed regularly in light of potential government policy changes that could impact on resources, both internally and externally.”                      

The consultation will close on 25 February 2025.

Once adopted the strategy will be active for three years.