Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy
Earlier in 2024 we invited residents, housing associations, developers, health and care providers and more to give their views on what they saw as the greatest challenges around housing in West Suffolk: A chance to help shape our new housing, homelessness reduction and rough sleeping strategy
Through this and the evidence gathered, we have a clearer picture of the housing challenges faced in West Suffolk.
This includes challenges around affordable homes – both a lack of supply to meet demand and in terms of what is genuinely affordable for current and future residents.
As the housing authority we have seen first-hand how that in turn has contributed to the rising numbers of households we are working with to prevent or help out of homelessness including those who are rough sleeping: How West Suffolk Council is helping people out of homelessness
We also gathered evidence in the Buildings Research Establishment (BRE) Housing Conditions Report, which shows we need to do further work to improve living conditions in the private rented sector to prevent people living in cold, damp homes or homes that are in poor disrepair.
All of this has been used to create a new Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy which was approved and adopted at a meeting of the Council on 19 November 2024.
Our ambition is to:
- help more people to better be able to afford a decent and secure home
- support residents by improving living conditions which will benefit their health and wellbeing and reduce the impact on health and social care
- reduce homelessness and rough sleeping.
Some of it is about the work we are already doing such as through Warm Homes Suffolk, helping combat fuel poverty through targeted work at low-income households who have poor energy efficiency. Or building on the success of the work around Disabled Facilities Grants, supporting people’s dignity and independence while also reducing the impact on NHS and social care costs and bedspaces.
But we cannot do it all alone.
That’s why we will be meeting with housing associations, developers and health and care providers in early 2025 to discuss how we can work collaboratively to achieve the best that we can, not just for the residents we serve now, but for their children, grandchildren and all those who are the future residents of West Suffolk.
You can read more on this strategy at:
- West Suffolk Council's Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy
- Appendix A - West Suffolk Council Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy Action Plan
- Appendix B - West Suffolk Council Housing and Homelessness Data Pack
- Appendix C - West Suffolk Council Homelessness Review
- Appendix D - West Suffolk Council Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy – public and stakeholder consultation
- Appendix E - West Suffolk Council Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy - Equality Analysis
Other housing strategies and plans include:
The adopted Local Plan for St Edmundsbury Borough Council and emerging plans for Forest Heath District Council (and all related policy documents, including guidance and supplementary planning documents) will continue to apply to those parts of the West Suffolk Council area until a new Local Plan for West Suffolk is adopted. This is currently scheduled for mid-2023.
Enabling
Enabling is the strategy team working with a range of partners in the public and private sector who may be able to help us provide homes. The majority of these homes are likely to be built for various forms of home ownership, allowing people to meet their aspirations. Others will be for rent in the social sector for those who cannot afford to buy in the open housing market.
Enabling is not only about building new properties. We also work with owners to bring empty homes back into use. We also look at converting unused or under used properties into smaller units so that we can provide more homes for people to live in.