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1240/5(5903)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 6th DECEMBER 2010
Question
Will the Minister inform members what the total provision of accommodation for social rental housing for single persons or couples without children exists in the public and housing trust sectors, giving the proportions of bedsits' and 1-bed flats in each? Is the Minister aware of the equivalent figures for private sector rentals? Will the Minister further indicate what levels of provision of new units of single accommodation are planned over the coming 2-year period? What policy, if any, does the Minister have over the provision of bedsit' accommodation in the public sector?
Answer
The Allocations Policy for States rental homes generally excludes single people or couples under 50 years of age, without children or serious medical conditions, from qualifying for social housing. This is to ensure that the stock is used for those most in need.
The numbers of bedsits and 1 bedroom flats in each of the public and Housing Trust sectors is set out in the table below.
Unit type | Number of units – States Rental | Number of units – Housing Trusts | TOTAL |
BEDSIT - FLAT BEDSIT BUNGALOW | 297 19 | 16 0 | 313 19 |
TOTAL BEDSITS | 316 | 16 | 332 |
1 BED BUNGALOW 1 BED FLAT 1 BED HOUSE 1 BED MAISONETTE | 39 1,623 25 3 | 0 496 25 0 | 39 2,119 50 3 |
TOTAL 1 BEDROOM UNITS | 1,690 | 521 | 2,211 |
The Housing Department does not regulate or monitor the private rented sector and I have no reliable evidence of the numbers of such accommodation types.
The delivery of new accommodation is overseen by the Planning & environment Department and they have been able to confirm the following supply of bedsit and 1 bedroom accommodation.
Occupancy Classification | Flats (Incl. studios & bedsits) | Houses (all types) | Total |
Category B Homes with permission or Under Construction | 489 | 54 | 543 |
Known Social Housing Commitments | 44 | (19) demolitions | 25 |
Known First Time Buyer Commitments | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Known Life Long Homes Commitments | 2 | 0 | 2 |
TOTAL | 535 | 35 | 570 |
It should of course be noted that just because a development has planning permission doesn't guarantee that it will be developed, let alone developed in a short time frame.
As for future policy on bedsits in the social sector. Bedsits do I am sure have their place, albeit that I believe, it should be limited. It is fair to say that as a form of long term housing they do suffer from limitations, particularly for couples, and offer minimal living space and privacy. The development of bedsits should not feature in new build social housing schemes. Where they are already present on existing sites my Department will actively seek to improve them so that they offer full 1 bedroom flat standards. This might sometimes, but not always, necessitate that 2 bedsits be converted into 1 larger more suitable home.