Three councils are joining forces to tackle the housing crisis at their local level by aiming to deliver 20,000 new homes by 2033.
North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council have launched their Opening Doors – Building for the Future initiative which includes greater action and more intervention at a local level to boost development.
Dorset’s population is set to rise by 14.5% to 884,000 by 2039. The average house price in the county is £295,202 while the average salary is £24,263. This means house prices are 12.2 times the average — well above the 7.6 national average.
The programme will aim to deliver all types of homes, including affordable, open market, private rented and social housing. It will also help Community Land Trusts use £2m of funding for ‘bottom up’ affordable housing.
A Home Ownership Register to help people find properties will be launched in 2018 and there is the possibility of a Local Authority Trading Company or joint venture to build houses and use council land for homes.
Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, NDDC council leader and housing portfolio holder, said: ‘We are facing major housing shortages with demand outstripping supply.
‘Opening Doors is about seizing the initiative and implementing any measures we can at a local level to help play our part in solving the housing crisis.’
Cllr Tim Yarker, housing portfolio holder for West Dorset District Council, said: ‘New homes are essential for the future sustainability, growth and prosperity of our communities.
‘A mix of good quality housing will help keep young people in our area while attracting and retaining the key and skilled workers our local economy needs to grow.’