Affordable Housing Concerns Raised Over Baltic Wharf Caravan Club Development

Strategic Insights -

Developers behind the £166m housing plans at the Baltic Wharf caravan club have pledged that affordable housing will still be built, despite concerns it may only be a single home. Goram Homes, owned by Bristol City Council, is planning to build 166 flats, with 66 being "affordable". However, the council is set to vote on whether to approve a change in planning permission, which has raised doubts about the affordable housing provision. The change would remove a rule forcing developers to build 40% affordable housing, allowing them to pay for just one affordable home instead.

Key Takeaways:

  • Goram Homes is planning to build 166 flats, with 66 being "affordable" housing.
  • The council was initially going to purchase the 66 affordable flats and turn them into council housing, but now they will be bought by the Sovereign Network Group (SNG).
  • SNG will use government grants to cover the cost of the flats, allowing Goram to apply for a change in planning permission.
  • Councillors on the development control B committee will vote on whether to approve the change on Monday.
  • Mark Ashdown, chair of the Bristol Tree Forum, has expressed concern that the application would remove a rule forcing the developers to build 40% affordable housing.
  • The new planning permission would allow developers to pay for just one affordable home instead of the originally agreed 66 affordable housing units.
  • Goram could pay £242,014 towards building affordable housing elsewhere in Bristol, which would cover the cost of a single home.
  • The affordable flats include 50 classed as social rent (half the market rate) and 16 as shared ownership (halfway between renting and paying a mortgage).
  • The caravan club is due to close permanently on August 11, ahead of construction starting on the new apartments.

Statistics:

  • 166 flats will be built in total (Goram Homes development).
  • 66 of the flats will be "affordable" housing.
  • £242,014: the amount Goram could pay towards building affordable housing elsewhere in Bristol.
  • 50 social rent apartments will be available on the HomeChoice system for people to bid for.
  • 16 shared ownership apartments will be available on the HomeChoice system for people to bid for.
  • 40% of the original plan required affordable housing, which has now been removed.
  • The development plans also include flood defences for the River Avon, but funding is uncertain.

Sources:

  • Alex SEABROOK, Local democracy reporter, alex.seabrook@reachplc.com (article source).
  • Bristol City Council (application for change in planning permission).
  • Sovereign Network Group (SNG) (purchaser of the affordable flats).
  • Homes England (government grants for affordable housing).
  • Bristol Tree Forum (Mark Ashdown, chair).