Agenda item
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Minutes:
Members of the public were invited to comment on the Commission’s work, and to ask Members and the Expert Panel questions.
One Member of the Public asked whether the Council could start ‘thinking outside of the box’, particularly around the Southern Grove site, which could provide 85 homes. In addition he raised issues around the provision of housing on the Green Grid and the potential for ‘kit homes’.
Another Member of the Public asked stated landlords seemed hell-bent on maximising profit, and asked Members how they anticipated getting those landlords on board with affordable strategies.
Jenny Fisher from Tower Hamlets Tenants and Residents' Association, asked about the work Councillor Joshua Peck, Cabinet Member for Work & Economic Growth, was doing on employment, and what that would mean for housing within the Borough. She asked the Panel to work with Cllr Peck as there would be knock on consequences as getting people in work which would impact on affordability. Ms Fisher added that LBTH should explore supply and the demand.
The Council, was then asked a question by Tower Hamlets Renters, on what the Council were spending on temporary accommodation.
A further contribution from the floor highlighted the need of younger professionals suggesting that the Council consider supporting ‘IPad Homes for the IPod generation’.
In response to the public questions, Members and the Panel answered as follows:
Alastair Baird began the responses by saying there was a need for viability testing based on the required work with the Council to find best solution for each area adding that refurbishing properties could cost more money than building.
Jackie Odunoye said at the moment the Housing Act still stands, and the Housing Bill is going through Parliament is not linking Affordability with housing need.
Duncan Bowie added the last London wide City Needs study had set out different scenarios for meeting housing need over 5, 10 and 20 years and that the Borough should set a realistic target within an agreed timeframe. However he was concerned that this was an understatement of need. His view was that previous administrations had made mistakes which had not addressed housing need.
The Mayor stated he did not want to house people outside of
LB TH, but there would be pressure to do this. He also stated that in order to fund the new civic centre at Whitechapel some Council land and buildings would need to be sold.
Sarah Sackman said LBTH needed to be specific about what the Council wants from land and that viability would need to be tested on a site by site basis against top lying principles. Consideration would also need to be given to the Council’s own capacity for development and the need to develop positive partnerships with Registered Provider s as demonstrated in areas such as Elephant and Castle and Greenwich.
Additional questions were asked including, how need was measured, and what steps are being taken to future proof given the population will increase. Another Member of the Public asked about Aberfeldy village, and stated that only 25 of the 150 homes built were reasonably and affordable. Another person suggested TH granted outright planning permission on certain areas of land and that will increase prices the LBTH could get back.