Landowners and bosses of small and medium-sized construction firms have been called on to help tackle North Norfolk’s shortage of affordable houses.
North Norfolk District Council is offering extra support to anyone with the potential to build.
The support can include the guaranteed sale of properties to a housing association at a pre-agreed price, and help with specification, tender and legal documents.
The council will also be able to help with the planning application process.
Councillor Wendy Fredericks, NNDC’s portfolio holder for housing and benefits, said: “The pilot scheme is great news for residents and builders.
“The aim of the pilot is to see more small sites that are suitable for housing brought forward by smaller housebuilders, ideally with projects that could deliver between one and 12 homes on one site.
“We recognise the importance of smaller sites.
“We also have a clear need for more social housing because house prices are high compared to local incomes and many local people cannot afford to rent or buy a home of their own.”
Ms Fredericks said such small sites were often ideal for social housing.
She said: “The initiative will not only provide good quality local homes for local people but also supports the council's business support agenda through the use of local builders and suppliers.”
The council has teamed up with an organisation called Local Partnerships - which is owned by the Treasury, the Local Government Association and the Welsh Government - on the project.
Through the scheme, the council and housing associations have agreed a straightforward specification that aims to provide energy standards to ensure homes are easy and inexpensive to heat – important for those on low incomes - and have enough storage space in the homes for larger families, where required.
The project is aimed at smaller local house builders who could build between one and 12 homes on a site.
The council says that while schemes do not need to be shovel-ready, land should already be owned, under control or easily acquired.
NNDC has said it only expects 52 affordable homes to be built in the 2022/23 financial year, because of fewer sites being available and new ‘nutrient neutrality’ rules designed to protect waterways.
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