Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010 - Falkirk Council

1. INTRODUCTION
Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is to set out key
investment priorities and the level of investment required to deliver them in relation
to the provision of affordable housing in the Falkirk Council area over the next five
years, taking account of the housing needs identified through the Local Housing
Strategy (LHS) process. The programme is based upon meeting the Council’s
strategic objectives, set out in the Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) 2009-11 and
LHS 2004-09, of regenerating priority areas, redeveloping or refurbishing low
demand stock and increasing the availability of a range of new affordable housing
options. Whilst the SHIP focuses mainly on new housing provision by RSLs, it also
takes account of the Council’s new house building programme as well as the
current economic situation which means that there is little chance of the private
house building industry making any significant contribution to the provision of
affordable housing in the area in the immediate future.
1.2 This SHIP sets out the resources required to deliver a local affordable housing
programme taking account of the range of available funding streams which includes
Housing Association Grant (HAG) and funding for Council house new build (see
Appendices 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d and 1e). In taking a strategic overview of potential
development opportunities, the SHIP identifies deliverable housing projects for the
coming five year period. In addition, a “shadow” programme has been developed
to allow projects to be brought forward should additional funding become available.
In doing this, the intention has been to prepare a realistic and deliverable plan
which will provide a sound basis for continuing discussions with the Housing &
Regeneration Directorate, RSLs and other partner agencies over the planning
period.
1.3 Projects that are currently on site or will be on site before 1 April 2011 are not
included in the templates (Appendix 1a) but are shown in the 5 year SHIP
Summary Programme (Appendix 1b) and the 5 year SHIP Financial Profile
(Appendix 1c) to outline current grant commitments over the period of the SHIP.
Sites that are in the future project category but are not anticipated to be on site
before the end of the 5 year SHIP are also detailed in Appendices 1b, 1c and 1d.
The “shadow” programme that can be brought forward if there is any slippage in the
main programme, or if additional resources become available, is set out in
Appendix 1d.
Background - LHS 2004-09 Stock Strategy
1.4 During the period of the 2004-09 LHS, the Council pursued a selective stock
disposal strategy based on an assessment of stock conditions, investment
requirements, housing demand, development potential and tenants’ views. This
LHS strategy recognised that a concentration of low demand housing can have a
serious blighting effect on communities and that redevelopment opportunities
afforded by such circumstances allow for the provision of new housing which better
meets modern needs and the aspirations of local people. The provision of new
affordable housing has been one of several key outcomes of housing regeneration
strategies in the Council area since the LHS 2004-09 was agreed (and
subsequently extended by the Interim LHS Statement published in May 2010) and
is one of the main priorities contained within the Council’s strategic plans.
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