Our Housing Policy

A significant portion of the Local Plan determines the zones and density of housing to be allocated, within the timeframe of the plan and the council’s boundaries.  In order to meet the housing requirements substantial effort needs to be made in developing and providing the infrastructure, e.g. roads, schools, health centres and services. The right mix of housing in terms of houses to buy, to rent and for social housing needs to be specified in the Local Plan. Consideration for accessibility needs to be undertaken to enable independent living. With   regards to the Local Plan 2024-2040 there are no grounds to challenge the overall number. Medway’s population needs will require that housing target to be met. Medway has a diverse range of housing needs, including areas of high social deprivation. Significant levels of social housing are required to meet current and future needs.

The Green Belt areas around Medway serve a vital purpose of stopping the urban area sprawling into the countryside and the encroaching and absorbing rural towns and villages, resulting in an ever-increasing conurbation. The Local Plan shall need to consider the impact of any release of this land to ensure that the purpose is not undermined. The impact of any new housing on the area affected shall be minimised. This enables derelict land to be put to good use without adverse impact on biodiversity.

Each project development shall ensure the right proportions of affordable, social and accessible housing are in accordance with the Local Plan for the area, including any applicable neighbourhood plans. To meet the needs of Medway’s social housing, for schemes above 20 units there shall be a target of 20% social housing, unless there are reasonable grounds to lower it. A quota system for the types of houses required shall be accompanied with a database of approved schemes. This shall enable the tracking of quotas by house type, so that shortfalls in key targets can be challenged at the planning stage. Affordable houses to buy shall have a target of 10%. We shall change the criteria for affordability to be determined by ratio of local median income, rather than local market rental prices.

Developments shall meet carbon consumption targets during construction, to ensure net zero by 2045. Sustainable construction methods shall use recycled materials and locally sourced materials where possible, within economic constraints. The Local Plan shall ensure that the infrastructure for sustainable development is provided, incorporating renewable energy and electric charging points.

All developments shall be designed to a standard that ensures utility services and roads can be adopted by the local authority. This shall cover, but is not limited to water, sewerage, roads and footpaths. We shall bring Building Control back under the remit of Medway Council and all developments shall be signed off at the correct stages before proceeding with the construction programme. The infrastructure for utility services shall be to a standard to permit addition to the networks for street lighting, electricity, gas and telecommunications.

New build houses need to be connected to the road network, the impact on the road network requires good modelling to minimise congestion. Approval of the scheme shall be by the local authority (either in house or alternatively by an independent assessment). Parking for new developments will be restricted at 1.5 cars per household to encourage active travel and public transport usage is maximized.

Design shall endeavour to ensure that distances to key services are no more than 15 minutes by active travel (cycling and walking). However, there may be good reasons to grant exceptions to this guiding principle. Key services shall include grocery shops, schools and healthcare services.

Substantial housing estates shall be connected to the bus network, and shall be accessible within a 15-minute walk. Developers shall ensure that access to train stations, either by public transport routes or walking and cycling routes, are incorporated within the design.

Provision of green spaces is vital for the connection of wildlife spaces across Medway. On large developments, developers shall ensure that there is either a park included within the scheme or access to an existing park nearby with good walking routes. The park will include amenities for dog walking and children’s play areas. Smaller developments shall take into consideration open community space for wildlife and amenities.

In line with other councils, we shall ensure any change of use to a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) is required to have planning permission in addition to an HMO licence. This change allows local people to be notified and consulted. Currently all HMOs require a licence to operate, we shall continue with this practice. In addition to current regulations, future conversions to HMO shall meet sound proofing standards to individual rooms as set out in Building Regulations Part E.

The Council shall work with communities to help translate community aspirations into planning policies that meets their needs and retains a sense of place. We shall achieve this through participation with communities, neighbourhood planning groups and parish councils in the development of the strategic plans. This will give people certainty about what growth is expected in an area.

Neighbourhood plans promote housing that regenerates and improves an area with good quality place shaping, and builds a narrative through high quality design.  Where appropriate we shall support and encourage self-build and adaptions to existing housing stock.

The level of s.106 contribution is a negotiation between the Council and the developer to ensure the community needs are met by the development. We shall engage with residents’ associations, local community groups and friend’s groups, to determine the best use of s.106 money.

Medway Council shall partner with organizations, including fire services, HMRC, DWP, tenant groups, and others, to address issues in the private rented sector.
 

We shall make new planning systems work on key areas of environmental concern, including future proofing homes against flooding. Consideration shall be given to susceptibility to rising sea levels and the overloading of existing drains and ditches. Defences and adaptions are needed to address these concerns along with issues of surface water; sometimes caused by surcharge via the drains and brooks leading to local flash flooding. To mitigate overloading of the sewage system from run-off, housing policy shall ensure that where soft surfaces are replaced by hard surfaces, there are adequate Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are incorporated into new and existing urban area.

New homes and businesses should, wherever possible, endeavour to power their buildings from an external renewable energy source. Most power sources shall be solar panels, ground source or air source heat pumps or a combination. Building standards shall encourage energy efficient housing, with the goal of achieving the Eco House standard within a reasonable timeframe and ensuring economic viability.

With regard to the existing housing stock, in line with our Environmental Policy, we shall encourage loans or grants to be awarded for people to have home insulation and the installation of solar panels and heat pumps. Homes shall include electric vehicle charging points. Successful schemes are well advertised, have limited bureaucracy and need to be flexible with regard to the choice of suppliers. We shall back and promote schemes that meet these criteria in order to maximize take up. More details regarding making existing spaces greener can be found in our Environmental Policy.

Empty houses, after a reasonable time period, will have their Council Tax significantly increased to encourage occupancy or the sale of the house as quickly as possible. We shall ensure that second homeowners pay double Council Tax.
 

Council built housing shall meet the Eco House standard. A development by Norwich Council demonstrated that it is possible to lower costs and lower energy usage by meeting the stronger Passivhaus standard.

On mixed developments the social and affordable housing quotas often get lowered when revised applications are submitted, after full design has been carried out. We will endeavour to ensure that as many applications as possible meet the quotas even when revised applications are submitted. Incremental payments of s.106 shall be released through the duration of the project to ensure there is no shortfall when the project is completed. When social and affordable housing quotas are not met, we shall use sequestration orders to ensure the Council has the ability to supply social and affordable housing.

Social housing shall be built to minimum living space requirements, and enforced, as per the Greater London Assembly policies. We shall undertake a study to determine the degree of social housing that is required to address the community needs of Medway.

Funding from central government to guarantee the provision of social housing by registered providers, is currently a roadblock to developments proceeding to completion. Ensuring that new developments that provide social housing proceed to completion is vital in meeting the social housing demand in Medway and reducing the waiting lists. The number of people on the waiting list and limited supply of social housing currently results in the need for bidding systems. We shall encourage the registered providers in Kent and Medway to establish a funding facility to reduce the dependency upon central government for guarantees.

Right to Buy is a principle we support as long as the money generated through the sale of houses can be reinvested in the purchase of housing stock for social housing. Where economically feasible private rented houses shall be purchased by the Council, additionally some houses that were sold under Right to Buy shall also be bought back to increase the supply of Council owned properties. The increase in Council owned supply further mitigates the size of the waiting list. We shall seek to alter the terms for Right to Buy, set by National Government, so that the business model ensures that Medway Council can rebuild its portfolio of houses and maintain adequate supply of social housing in the future.

Medway has a sizable number of people who are either homeless and living on the streets, in temporary accommodation, or sofa surfing. By ensuring adequate supply of social housing, we shall decrease these numbers in the short term and aim to eliminate in the long term.

Application for social housing

Medway Council shall bring waiting times for social housing down to enable people to be properly accommodated in a timely manner. We would facilitate a means of fast-tracking applications for urgent needs.

A major means of increasing houses and homes is for the council to invest in development companies specifically addressing the social housing shortage. Medway Liberal Democrats would use the profits made from Medway Development Company to build social housing that is eco-friendly and affordable such as the Passivhaus development in Goldsmith Street Norwich. The quality of such construction would reduce energy bills for the residents.

Medway Council shall provide a small number of houses itself, and shall direct other social housing providers to take-on the residue. The aim shall be to meet the Passivhaus standard, however where budgets are more constrained the lower level of the Eco House standard shall be permitted. We shall prohibit any new building being below Eco House standard.

Medway Council shall engage with social housing tenants and use the data and feedback to co-ordinate better running of support services. This will lead to the enhancement of social housing developments.

We shall support the creation of a Community Ambassador Scheme to help tenants and leaseholders make positive social and physical change to their communities.

Supported Accommodation (Including Homeless Hostels)

Supported Accommodation, sometimes termed homeless accommodation or a homeless hostel, is accommodation for vulnerable people. We shall stop the ongoing profiteering of the vulnerable by ensuring that the homeless hostels meet Medway Council’s improved regulations, a major one being the extortionate rents charged, which are ultimately paid by Medway Council Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.

To ensure supported accommodation is fulfilling its function, we shall set out improved regulations and long-term goals. These shall include:
•    Reasonable rents, potentially including a cap on the rent charged with a benefits review covering Housing Benefit and Universal Credit
•    Assistance into work
•    All properties shall always have running utilities
•    Regular support meetings
•    User participation in the running of the organisation
•    Making sure the goal to living independently is kept
•    Ensure support is maintained during the transition to independent living

We shall ensure that organisations running supported accommodation in Medway meet the new regulations and guidelines, through regular inspections and residents’ participation.

We shall create a body to oversee and ensure daily licence agreements are regularly reviewed and that they are not being misused, using regulatory practice to close current loopholes that allows eviction at short notice. Where there are evictions that are reasonable those persons shall be housed through the Council’s social housing policy.

We shall ensure that when people are in supported accommodation, and receiving either Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, gain employment they are provided with the necessary information regarding rent “run on” policy. In order to assist those who have found employment we shall extend the rent "4 weekly run on" to up to six months. On gaining employment, supported accommodation residents shall be fast-tracked onto social housing "Band A" priority.

Location is paramount in supported accommodation. Therefore, it shall be spread out, without mixing those with addiction, criminal history and mental or neurological health issues. In order to prevent crime and adverse effects on the wider community, offenders shall not only be placed in mixed projects unless the project is dual diagnosis (e.g. a drug addiction and a mental health condition). Variations to this placement policy would require exceptional reasoning.

Sex offenders shall be housed in the right environment according to the nature and severity of the offences committed.

Supported accommodation for people aged between 16 and 25 shall be addressed in a number of areas. We shall ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet the various needs of young people transitioning into independent living. Places shall offer assistance, e.g. cooking and budgeting, through workshops and activities. Where needed, routes into education, training and the work place shall be offered.
 

Accessible housing is the building or adapting homes specifically for the needs of elderly and disabled people. Houses shall be designed to enable them to be future-proofed for adaptability, which could include bathrooms, doorways and ramps. We shall ensure these adaptions are completed to meet the needs of the people affected. Engagement with residents will ensure adaptions are designed to meet their needs, liaising with experts in the field as required. Medway Council set a cap on grants for home adaption on the last budget. We shall amend this so that grants increase in line with inflation. Applications from social housing association tenants shall be processed in line with any other grant application for adaption.

In establishing best practice and input, we will create focus groups for tenants and leaseholders with disabilities. These groups will meet with officers from social housing providers, Medway Council and the community occupational therapy team, to hear what is needed. We shall establish a weekly housing advice surgery for social housing applicants with disabilities.

We shall encourage Medway Council to create a financial and in-kind support package to be made available to applicants moving to an adapted property, and tailored to the needs of the individual.

Through building regulations, a proportion of houses built for social housing providers shall meet standards that ensure accessibility for tenants in wheelchairs, and can also be adapted efficiently to meet their future needs. Roads for adoption standard shall cover the requirements for dropped kerbs to ensure accessibility needs are met. Future needs for disabled parking bays shall also be covered by the requirements.