Great Yarmouth Borough Council urges people to take part in new Housing Strategy consultation

The council says it is keen to engage with residents and get people's feedback about the draft, which sets out a vision and objectives for housing for the next five years, alongside an action plan to ensure its objectives are achieved.

The strategy's vision is to enable a thriving housing market in which the residents of Great Yarmouth Borough have access to a suitable home, which is healthy, safe, efficient and affordable.

And its key objectives are to meet the housing needs of current and future residents, provide quality housing for all and offer access to suitable and sustainable housing.

Councillor Emma Flaxman-Taylor, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's portfolio holder for Housing, Health and Communities, said: ''Our housing strategy is vital to provide a framework for the service we provide for residents. The more people who take part in the consultation to help us make sure it as robust as possible, the better.

''It is important our residents have access to suitable housing which meets their needs, and that the borough's housing offer supports economic growth. This not only involves the council investing in its own housing stock and facilitating housing development, but we also have a responsibility to intervene in the private sector - from offering advice and assistance through to enforcement and regeneration.''

Since the last strategy document - published in 2018 - the council says it has increased the borough's housing stock by almost 2,000 homes, nearly 300 of which are social housing, and more than 2,000 empty homes have been brought back into use.

It has invested in council housing to ensure all dwellings meet the Decent Homes Standard, promoted good management standards in the private rented sector through the introduction of a selective licensing scheme and enforcement activity, and facilitated the installation of aids and adaptations into almost 400 owner-occupied and privately rented homes.

Revised empty homes and homelessness strategies have also been produced, and Great Yarmouth Borough Council has a new strategic partnership agreement with two major housing associations.

Councillor Flaxman-Taylor said: ''We very much recognise there remains more to do. Our new housing strategy identifies the needs of the borough and sets out a policy framework as to how we intend to meet need through ambitious plans for regeneration and renewal, ensuring quality housing across all tenures and the delivery of new homes.''

The consultation is open until Friday, November 15, 2024. To have your say on the draft strategy, please visit https://have-your-say.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/draft-housing-strategy-2024-2029