ECO-CAMPAIGNERS were shocked to discover only 155 affordable homes out of 10,000 in 18 new planning application across Coventry and Warwickshire will help first-time buyers get onto the housing ladder.
And of these 155, only five ‘discounted ownership’ dwellings are in Coventry.
Members of Keep Our Greenbelt Green (KOGG) in Coventry have analysed 18 planning applications in both neighbouring counties.
They found just 155 new homes out of 10,758 planned housing developments will have their market value discounted to help first-time buyers onto the housing ladder.
Nearly all of these – 150 – are at one location in Warwick District where a controversial planning permission has not been finalised – the 2500-home development at King’s Hill on the Coventry and Warwickshire border.
The remaining five discounted ownership dwellings will be part of a 40-home development planned at Watery Lane, Keresely.
KOGG examined the types of homes planned for these 18 locations.
Of these, they say 16 are within Coventry where the city council only requires 25 per cent of new homes to be affordable. The remaining two sites are just over the Coventry border where Warwick District Council requires developers to provide 40 per cent of all new homes as affordable.
But the meaning of ‘affordable’ is not clear, report campaigners, as it embraces three different categories – intermediate or shared ownership homes, rental homes and discounted ownership homes.
Out of the 10,758 homes planned 1,856 will be for rental purposes, 961 for intermediate or shared ownership, and only 155 for discounted ownership.
KOGG spokesman Peter Maddock said: “The biggest proportion of so-called ‘affordable homes’ are rental properties for housing associations, while the shared ownership properties will be leasehold and have service rent restrictions, making them hard to sell on.
“So all in all things are not what they say on the tin, and there are very few homes really planned to help first-time buyers get on to the housing ladder.”
Last year the Observer reported that the government was considering intervening in the King’s Hill development amid further delays and dire traffic congestion forecasts on main commuter routes.
Supported by some MPs and councillors, campaigners have been lobbying ministers to ‘call in’ the scheme for a review over future traffic projections for already heavily congested main arterial routes including the A45 and A46, and between the University of Warwick and the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh.
A deserted medieval village, three Grade II listed buildings and an ancient woodland are also close to the site, resulting in archaeological and wildlife concerns.
Awaiting comment from Coventry City Council.
