Hull City Council’s Cabinet has today (19 December) approved plans to continue with the development of new council homes at Dane Park, whilst also agreeing to build additional new homes on a site at nearby Isledane. Cabinet has also agreed to procure a delivery partner to enable more new council homes to be built in the coming years, in line with the council’s Housing Growth Plan.
Planning consents for 99 affordable homes at Dane Park and 34 at Isledane were given in 2021. However owing to a difficult economic operating environment, an increased budget for the 133 modern, new affordable homes has been agreed. The £28.5M investment from the council will help transform the area, replacing the redundant brownfield sites with modern, attractive, new homes and in well-designed neighbourhoods with public open space and sustainable forms of drainage. Subject to viability, these new homes will help the council to meet the rising demand for affordable housing following the COVID-19 pandemic This investment will also create new jobs and training for local people.
Cabinet also agreed that the council would continue its small sites programme,, but only where viability and best value are evidenced. Over the last two years, the council built 39 bungalows on sites which, for example, had formerly been blocks of garages. A priority for the Council is lowering carbon emissions and the delivery of new affordable homes will see a fabric first approach adopted to ensure energy demand is reduced whilst also exploring other technologies to heat homes.
Commenting on the Cabinet’s decisions, Cllr Jan Loft. Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness, said, “Dane Park and Isledane are strategically important brownfield development sites. Both sites are fully designed with planning consent in place and will provide 133 new homes which are much needed in the area. The design itself seeks to reduce carbon emissions through a fabric first approach and looking to introduce other technology to lower carbon emissions whilst keeping energy bills down. Our next steps will be to procure a lead developer partner to enable a long term approach to delivering affordable homes across the city.”
