News / Housing crisis
‘Council-owned company will help relieve housing pressures in Bristol’
The formation of the council’s own housing company is not the answer to Bristol’s current crisis, but it is a step in the right direction.
Following the contentious decision on the future of Temple Island, this was a project that gained rare cross-party support as it was given the green light at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Paul Smith, cabinet member for housing, said it was with great pride that he was finally able to deliver on the manifesto pledge of all four parties by creating a housing company that is wholly-owned by Bristol City Council.
is needed now More than ever
The move is expected to not only enable the council to build more homes, but also have greater control about how and where they are built.
“I think one thing we have to be really clear about – this is not the answer to Bristol’s housing crisis,” said Smith.
“It’s just another tool, so it does not mean that we will stop council house delivery and community-led initiatives, and using our powers – weak as they are – as robustly as we can to deliver affordable housing through the planning process.”
What it does mean is that the council will be able to borrow more money to build – as the current housing revenue account is artificially capped by the Government.
It will also enable the council to enter into joint partnerships with other land owners, while ensuring that developments are compliant with planning policies and affordable housing quotas, and put profit back into the publicly-owned company rather than private firms.
Baltic Wharf Caravan Park will be taken back by the council for development
Two “deliberately different” sites have already been selected for development – one in Lockleaze and the other on the Baltic Wharf Caravan Park.
Smith admitted the latter might be controversial. Explaining the decision at Tuesday’s meeting, he said: “The caravan park was set up when nobody wanted to building in the centre of Bristol and the harbourside itself was seen as very marginal.
“The nature of that area has changed dramatically and that site will be 40 per cent affordable housing, 30 per cent of which will be social housing.”
He added that creating mixed and balanced communities is at the heart of the council’s housing policy.
Oliver Fortune spoke out in support of the new housing company
Sporting a jumper emblazoned with the words“build the houses kwik”, campaigner Oliver Fortune praised the move as a “bold and brave decision”.
“It is clear that the cabinet member for housing and mayor both recognise that there is a huge housing crisis in Bristol and are taking decisive steps to tackle it,” he said from the public gallery.
“I share this administration’s belief that the founding of a housing company will relieve some of the housing related pressures that people in Bristol currently face.
“I find it frustrating that something as crucial as housing, something that really affects people’s lives, has been shoved to the back of what is a bumper cabinet meeting so that the arena can be debated.
“I think this is a really positive statement at a really positive time.”
Smith also revealed that the council is bidding to the government to raise the its revenue account borrowing raised by £40m, which will deliver another 378 traditional council houses if approved.
Read more: Bristol City Council to launch its own housing company
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