Westmorland and Furness Council has approved an ambitious Housing Strategy aimed at ensuring that everyone in the area has access to high-quality, affordable, and sustainable housing.
At a meeting of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, 21 January, a new Housing Strategy was agreed which sets out the objectives, targets, and policies in relation to the council’s delivery of its housing service over the next five years (2025-2030).
As outlined in the council’s Council Plan and Delivery Framework, providing good quality housing is a priority. The council is committed to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, warm, clean, and affordable home. This commitment includes ensuring the right people get the right houses in the right place at the right time.
The strategy, developed through extensive engagement with residents, communities, Town and Parish Councils, Community Land Trusts, developers and Registered Providers, reflects the council’s commitment to tackling housing challenges and seizing opportunities across the area.
The new strategy outlines an ambitious vision under three key themes: Our People, Our Places, and Our Homes, and aims to address critical issues such as homelessness, housing supply, availability and affordability, and stock quality while prioritising sustainability and the unique needs of diverse communities. The plans include growing the council’s housing stock, collaborating with Housing Associations and developers, and creating additional temporary accommodations to support homeless households.
The strategy details initiatives to upgrade council-owned homes to meet new social housing regulations, prevent and tackle damp and mould, and enforce higher standards in the private rental sector. All new council homes will meet Future Homes Standards and net-zero carbon goals, while existing homes will be retrofitted for improved energy efficiency to reduce fuel poverty and contribute to climate targets. Efforts will focus on addressing the rural housing crisis, regenerating neighbourhoods, and providing tailored support for vulnerable groups, including veterans, care-experienced young people, and the elderly.
The council has already made significant progress including awarding £570,000 in Affordable Housing Grants to deliver 20 new homes and investing over £3 million in Disabled Facility Grants. An additional £460,000 has also been allocated over the next three years to bring empty homes back into use, alongside ongoing work to address damp and mould in both public and private housing.
Detailed action plans will now be developed by the council which will ensure progress is measurable and impactful.
Councillor Judith Derbyshire, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, said:
“Providing good quality housing is an absolute priority for us as a council and this strategy demonstrates a deep commitment to ensuring that people can live in a place that they can proudly call home – one which is affordable, safe, and sustainable.
“We have already taken important steps by investing in several projects to improve housing conditions and access, but this strategy will help build on that progress and drive even greater change. By focusing on people, places, and homes, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future for all.
“We are hugely appreciative of all the voices which have helped to shape and inform this strategy and have enabled a meaningful document to be produced which has a strong sense of ownership. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our communities and partners to make this shared vision a reality.”
