Standard sets a new minimum quality standard homes must meet in order to be bought by social landlords
A group of housing providers in Yorkshire along with two local authorities have adopted a new minimum quality standard for affordable homes.
The standard has been adopted by 23 members of the York and North Yorkshire (YNY) Housing Partnership along with City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council.
The standard, the first of its kind outside London, sets minimum requirements homes must meet in order for the partnership’s members to buy them through section 106 deals.
Under the standard (see below), all homes must meet national space standards, be indistinguishable from market homes, be accessible, be highly insulated and reflect local housing need. The providers will also “work collaboratively” to ensure they pay a fair price for high quality homes. The standard also applies to homes providers build themselves.
The partnership has also adopted a section 106 framework to ensure developers align with the sustainability and environmental targets and fire safety strategies of providers.
The standard comes amid mounting concern over the past few months about a drop in demand for section 106 properties. Housebuilders have reported difficulties in forward selling affordable homes -which are required in developments under planning agreements – to housing associations.
Nick Atkin, chief executive of Yorkshire Housing, originally outlined the plan for a Yorkshire standard at the Housing Community Summit in Liverpool last October.
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At the time, he said: “The coming together of all the housing providers has given us an ability to have a conversation, to say that we are going to set a standard beneath which none of us will drop, no matter what the price.
“That’s the only way we will get developers to raise the standard of the quality of the homes that they’re bringing forward for affordable rent as part of the wider development.”
The Yorkshire Affordable Homes Standard
The standard has 10 elements:
1. We will only develop or acquire homes that meet the Affordable Homes Standard
2. We will work collaboratively across the Partnership to ensure we pay a fair price for high quality homes.
3. All homes must meet National Described Space Standards as a minimum
4. Affordable Homes must be at least the same standard as and indistinguishable from market sale homes; and should include adequate in curtilage parking facilities.
5. To support cohesive communities that can thrive, affordable homes should be integrated across each development and their facades and location should be tenure blind.
6. Homes should be accessible and/or adaptable to suit customers throughout their lifetime.
7. Homes should reflect local demographics and housing need. To ensure we provide homes for single person households, families and an ageing population.
8. Our preference is for new homes with high levels of insulation (adopting a fabric first approach) as well as low carbon heating systems.
9. Homes that do not have high levels of insulation and/or low carbon heating systems should be designed to enable us to easily improve their energy efficiency.
10. We want to create developments that protect and enhance the natural environment and provide space for nature to thrive.
Source: North Yorkshire Council
The Section 106 framework requires developers to align with the sustainability and environmental targets of providers, agree fire strategies at an early stage and provide information requested under the Housing Ombudsman’s complaint-handling code on time.
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