Thanet residents invited to have their say on proposed Housing Strategy

Our consultation on the latest draft Housing Strategy opens to the public today (Monday 13 January). 

The purpose of the draft Housing Strategy is to guide how the council approaches the housing needs of all Thanet’s residents.It looks at the way existing accommodation is managed and how best to plan the delivery of new homes in the future.

The consultation which runs for six weeks seeks to gather feedback on the strategy as a whole and calls for feedback on four specific priority areas:

The priorities outlined in the strategy are as follows:

• Improving access to and supply of housing
• Improving housing standards and safety across all tenures (ownership or renting)
• Supporting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities
• Preventing homelessness and tackling rough sleeping

The draft Housing Strategy examines ways in which the housing supply can be increased in order to ensure that homes are affordable to those on low to median incomes. It looks at how to promote housing for essential local workers, as well as addressing building homes that are suitable for an ageing population. It also explores ways that housing standards can be improved both for council homes and those in the private sector. 

In addition, the draft strategy considers effective ways to address things that impact on the health and wellbeing of our residents and communities. This includes improving the support people have at home, tackling poverty and inequality while also exploring ways to combat loneliness and isolation. 

There are also a number of proposed ways to both prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping. Early intervention and setting up effective partnerships to support rough sleepers are part of the suggested approach.

Cllr Helen Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods commented: “I would urge everyone who lives or works in Thanet to review the proposed Housing Strategy. Planning for our future housing needs is vital if we want to ensure that all of our residents have access to good quality accommodation. 

“We want to be transparent and collaborative, and so your input is essential as it is a plan for housing in Thanet, and it needs to reflect the wishes and concerns of the residents of Thanet. This is a community effort, and it is essential to secure input from the people that the Housing Strategy affects. 

“Giving your viewpoint now will help to shape the decisions we make in the future and mean that we are all invested in the outcome.” 

People are invited to review the draft strategy and give their views on it via a questionnaire. The consultation is open to everyone that lives in Thanet whether they are renting or own their home. Views are also being sought from local businesses, community groups and voluntary organisations that operate in the district.  

The strategy is available to read here and the online questionnaire is here. Responses must be provided by Monday 24 February 2020. 

Consultation responses will be considered and the final Housing Strategy will be adopted by full council on Thursday 26 March 2020.