Welcome to Bedford Borough Council

Housing Development and Policy

Empty Homes Strategy

The draft Empty Homes Strategy for Bedford Borough Council covers the period 2013-2016 and is an important element of the Council's overarching Housing Strategy along with other strategies and policies for preventing homelessness, allocations and tenancies and private sector housing.

The key objectives for the strategy are:

• To reduce the number of long-term empty homes in the Borough

• To raise awareness of empty properties being a wasted resource

• To improve the supply of decent affordable private sector rented homes available for people in housing need

• To consider whether initiating Compulsory Purchase Order is appropriate and value for money

• To maintain the data collected on empty homes

 

Bedford Borough Council welcomes your comments on the draft Strategy.

 

Consultation on the Empty Homes Strategy starts on 25 March 2013 and the closing date for responses is 20 May 2013.

Download Draft Empty Homes Strategy

 

How to Have your Say

You can take part in the consultation in the following ways:

Complete an online response here: http://www.forms.bedford.gov.uk/emptyhomes/

Email your questions or comments to: housing.strategy@bedford.gov.uk or call Jim Pollard on 01234 718583.

Or write to: Consulting Bedford, FREEPOST ANG5840, Bedford, MK40 1ZD

Comments received through the consultation process will be fed into the Empty Homes Strategy before it is considered at a future meeting of the Executive. Summarised information from responses may be published, but no individual details will be disclosed under these circumstances. Should you respond to the consultation document you will receive notification when the document has been adopted and also how to access the final version.

 

Housing Strategy

Bedford Borough Council's Housing Strategy 2012-2017 succeeds the previous strategy and has been fully revised to take into account changes to funding at both national and local level as well as updated assessments of housing need within the borough. It also provides an opportunity for the council to review its housing priorities and to identify key actions which need to be put in place in order to deliver these. To download a copy of the Strategy click here.

 

Private Sector Housing

Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

Bedford Borough Council commissioned CPC to conduct a Private Sector House Stock Condition Survey (PSHCS) in 2011.  PSHCS are conducted on a regular basis by Local Authorities as a means of maintaining a detailed picture of housing conditions in the private sector (owner occupied and privately rented homes).  This enables the Council to form a useful evidence base on which to build strategies and to inform investment decisions.

 

Bedford Borough Council commissioned CPC to conduct a Private Sector House Stock Condition Survey (PSHCS) in 2011.  PSHCS are conducted on a regular basis by Local Authorities as a means of maintaining a detailed picture of housing conditions in the private sector (owner occupied and privately rented homes).  This enables the Council to form a useful evidence base on which to build strategies and to inform investment decisions. To view the completed survey report please click here.

 

 

Private Sector Housing Strategy

 

Bedford Borough Council completed a Private Sector Housing Strategy in 2003. This document is currently under review.  Please click here to download the  document.

 

Affordable Housing

 

	Planning policies CP7 and CP8 of the Core Strategy and Rural Issues Plan set out the Council's core requirements for the provision of affordable housing within residential developments. the Affordable Housing Mixes Guide gives further guidance to developers on how the Council approaches the implementation of these policies. The Affordable Housing Mixes Guide can be viewed here.
	A review of needs in Bedford Borough was conducted via the Housing Requirements Study published in 2003.  Bedford Borough Council commissioned Opinion Research Services (ORS) to undertake a comprehensive assessment of housing requirements in the Borough. The commissioning body was aware of the complexity of housing needs assessments and wished to ensure that reliable data was obtained and analysed in accordance with government guidance and then interpreted further through use of ORS housing market model. Click here to download the Housing Requirements Study 2003.
	The Bedfordshire sub-region have worked together to produce a housing market monitor report containing information about the housing markets of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton.  Please click here to download a copy of this document..

 

 

Bedfordshire and Luton Strategic Housing Market Assessment

 

Opinion Research Services and Savills were commissioned to undertake a comprehensive and integrated Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) for the whole of the Bedfordshire and Luton sub-region.   The study was undertaken to inform local policies, in particular relating to the housing strategy and investment programme and planning policies surrounding affordable housing provision more generally, including the size and type of housing to be provided.  To download a copy of the SHMA click here.

 

The Home and Communities Agency and Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council has an excellent working relationship with the home and Communities Agency, and has developed a local protocol which informs the relationship between the two organisations.

It is important for three reasons:

1. an opportunity to show how Bedford is being proactive in tackling local strategic housing issues;

2. an opportunity for Bedford to demonstrate positive partnership working with the Housing Corporation to achieve balanced housing markets and sustainable communities; and

3. an opportunity for cooperation between Bedford Borough Council and the Housing Corporation to achieve joint aims.

Please click here to download a copy of the protocol .

Bedford Borough Council is being proactive in tackling local strategic housing issues and pursuing a range of initiatives to simulate the housing market and continue to deliver over 200 new affordable homes each year.

Bedford Borough Council is demonstrating positive partnership working with the Homes and Communities Agency, Bedford Renaissance, and other stakeholders in jointly promoting development and regeneration schemes that meet local housing need and provide economic regeneration in a balanced and sustainable way.

Supporting People

The Supporting People programme is about offering vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their quality of life by providing a stable environment which enables greater independence.  It aims to deliver high quality and strategically planned housing-related services which are cost effective and reliable, and complement existing care services.

 

There is currently consultation on the refreshed Supporting People Strategy 2012-2017.  For further information on the Draft Strategy and the consultation click here.

 To access a copy of the Older People's Accommodation Strategy 2011-2016 click here.

Please click on the link below to be directed to the Supporting People website.