AFFORDABLE housing is in critically short supply in rural areas across East Staffordshire, a damning report has claimed.
East Staffordshire needs to build 293 rural affordable homes each year. Yet during the year 2010/11, it built just 50.
The figures, released by the Countryside Alliance, show that across Britain councils are failing to meet building requirements for affordable housing in rural areas.
East Staffordshire Borough Council and the Trent and Dove Housing Association which provide council housing in Uttoxeter defended the region’s house-building record.
Ron Dougan, Trent and Dove’s chief executive, said: “Since the transfer of housing stock from East Staffordshire Borough Council in 2001, Trent and Dove has invested heavily improving its housing stock in urban and rural areas of East Staffordshire.
“It has also built 480 new homes in the borough, exceeding its target year on year.” Mr Dougan also used housing schemes developed by Trent and Dove in Uttoxeter and Rocester as examples of the good work going on in the region.
He said: “In addition to building new homes, Trent and Dove reacted to the wishes of local communities and demolished old, concrete flat estates in Uttoxeter and Rocester where people were reluctant to live, due to the dilapidated state and anti-social behaviour arising as a result of the negative environment, and stigma associated with them.
“150 award winning new homes were built in their place which are fully occupied and much sought after by local people.
“In the case of the Uttoxeter development, now known as The Willows, better use of the land meant that a number of additional homes were developed.” East Staffordshire Borough Council said the figures quoted by the Countryside Alliance were out of date and insisted house-building rates had improved since.
A spokesman said: “The council is working to identify the need for affordable homes in the area.
“However ESBC does not have any affordable housing stock and therefore does not build new affordable homes itself.
“The ability of the council to secure the number needed is constrained by the economic situation, the viability of development, and the availability of Government grants.” The figures, released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, also showed Staffordshire Moorlands District Council met just 19 per cent of its target and that Derbyshire Dales District Council fared better but still only met 47 per cent of its target.
The Advertiser reported last month that calls are being made for affordable housing to be part of a soon-to-be submitted planning application for a major housing and business development off Dove Way in Uttoxeter.
