Doncaster housing association pledges to build more affordable homes

More affordable homes are expected to be built in the Doncaster area under new plan agreed to by housing bosses.
Chief Executive of St Leger Homes, Susan Jordan, signing the Housing Compact. The agreement shows a commitment to affordable housing in Doncaster and the rest of the Sheffield City Region.Chief Executive of St Leger Homes, Susan Jordan, signing the Housing Compact. The agreement shows a commitment to affordable housing in Doncaster and the rest of the Sheffield City Region.
Chief Executive of St Leger Homes, Susan Jordan, signing the Housing Compact. The agreement shows a commitment to affordable housing in Doncaster and the rest of the Sheffield City Region.

St Leger Homes, which runs Doncaster’s council housing, has pledged its support for a scheme to help build more affordable homes for the residents of Doncaster.

The company signed up to a landmark agreement between local authorities and housing providers, which aims to drive the economy and help deliver much-needed affordable homes in region.

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At the launch event on Monday, key political and housing figures from across the region signed what has been named the Housing Compact, demonstrating their commitment to working together to solve the housing crisis and meet the needs of those living and working locally.

The Sheffield Region Affordable Housing Compact is a unique collaboration between housing associations, local authorities and arms-length management organisations operating in the Sheffield City Region, which collectively own and manage over one fifth of all homes in the area.

Susan Jordan, chief executive of St Leger Homes, said: “We’re proud to be signed up to the Sheffield City Region Affordable Housing Compact. It’s important that we work with our partners in the region to ensure that everyone has access to good quality affordable housing.

“Hopefully the Compact will help not only increase access to housing for many vulnerable and low paid people, but also help improve skills and job opportunities in the region too.”

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The new agreement has a number of aims, which include expanding the supply of new housing, investing in existing housing and ensuring vulnerable people in the borough can access good quality, affordable housing.

It is also envisaged that the people behind the contract will create sustainable and thriving communities and work to better understand the products and services needed to meet housing need, therefore increasing opportunities for joint working and shared services.

Coun Jane Nightingale, cabinet member for housing at Doncaster Council, also welcomed the agreement.

She said: “I’m delighted that the Compact will help expand the supply of new housing across all tenures and help increase the number of sustainable and thriving communities.”

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St Leger Homes is one of 16 organisations who have signed up to the Compact.

Others include Barnsley Council, Bassetlaw Council, Rotherham Council and South Yorkshire Housing Association.

Doncaster council has given the go-ahead for over 100 new council homes to be built in recent weeks, including 79 new affordable homes in Wheatley which will be built on Bristol Grove, Exeter Road, Parkway South and Winchester Avenue.

A further 35 affordable homes will be built on the Willow Street estate in Thorne.

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The agreement has been drawn up as recent National Housing Federation research revealed that the average buyer would need a 64 per cent pay rise to afford a standard mortgage on an average local home in South Yorkshire. In the Sheffield City Region alone there has been a shortfall of nearly 10,000 homes since 2011.