Council adopts strategy to ensure more affordable housing choices

The council today (26 March) approved the adoption of its Mixed Tenure Strategy for housing in the area.

Waiting list increase

There is a rising number of applicants for social housing. This is reflected in a recent 13% increase in the number of households on the Midlothian Council waiting list.

Offering alternatives

There is a significant gap between the cost of social housing rent and the cost of owning or renting a home from the private rented sector. This indicates an opportunity to offer social housing applicants alternative forms of affordable housing.

Mixed tenures

In order to provide more choices to those in housing need the council has agreed to support the active promotion of a range of mixed tenures in meeting the need for affordable homes.

What's been agreed

Also agreed as part of the Mixed Tenure Strategy:

• To deliver a range of affordable ownership tenures through via Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and the council
• To support more homes being made available for discounted sale through Golden Share schemes.
• To note that opportunities for homes to be built and sold through New Supplied Shared Equity scheme by Midlothian Council will be considered in future developments.
• To approve the delivery of Mid Market Rent by Midlothian Council through partnerships with RSLs that will ensure preference is given to Midlothian residents who are in housing need.
• To note that further investigation of opportunities to directly deliver Mid Market Rent will be undertaken where this will leverage in alternative sources of finance to mitigate impact on the General Fund. This will require the establishment of an arms length organisation
• To approve the alignment of relevant planning policy on affordable housing in the emerging Local Development Plan with the recommendations of the Mixed Tenure Strategy.

More information

Councillor Stuart McKenzie, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing said: “The demand for affordable housing is at its highest. Our Mixed Tenure Strategy reviews alternative affordable tenures and sets out a strategy for increasing their supply in Midlothian to help us meet our housing demands. It is important that those applying to Midlothian Council’s social housing waiting list have more information on the alternative ownership and rental tenures available to them, therefore we will be working to actively ensure that they have that information.”