MORE than 17,600 families in and around Chester face years of waiting for somewhere to live, a new report has revealed.
It is estimated that it would take more than 70,000 years to clear the backlog of Cheshire families waiting for social housing because of the ‘broken’ housing market, the National Housing Federation has highlighted.
The Home Truths report paints a bleak picture of the area’s housing market where families can no longer afford to buy or rent homes.
About 17,670 households in Cheshire West and Chester are now on social housing waiting lists, as experts suggest spiralling mortgage deposits and private rents push affordable housing out of reach for many.
In Chester the average house price is £217,448, 10.3 times that of the average wage, which stands at £21,029.
Across the borough as a whole the average wage stands at £20,670 and an average house costs 9.6 times the average income at £198,398.
Gross annual income needed for a mortgage of 90 per cent at 3.5 times income stands at £51,017, according to the report.
Published by the National Housing Federation, which represents not-for-profit housing associations across England, Home Truths also reveals that in the past decade house prices have risen by 126 per cent in the North West and housing lists across the region grew by almost seven per cent last year.
Jon Longden, the National Housing Federation’s lead manager for the North West, said: “Caught in an impossible can’t buy/can’t rent dilemma, families face life-changing years on social housing waiting lists. With the lowest number of new homes for 90 years, the only things we are building up are long-term problems for schooling, health and jobs.”
The report suggests housing associations, such as Chester and District Housing Trust (CDHT) and Muir Housing, are doing their best to make a difference.
Phil Gilbert, CDHT property options manager, said: “Although the figures have risen since the start of the year, you could half the 17,670 total, as half of the applicants have no identified housing need but have a desire to move. Those in housing need in high bands are still being housed.”
CDHT are urging residents to downsize to help free-up family accommodation as part of their Release and Reward scheme which helps with the cost of moving for residents and frees up larger homes.
Mr Gilbert warned that due to a surge of 18.7 per cent in private rent costs – the Trust is being inundated with applications.
He added: “The Trust has a comprehensive development programme to put more homes on the ground and, in partnership with Cosmopolitan Housing, Wulvern and Cheshire West and Chester Council, received 10 per cent of the total allocation of funding for the North from the Homes and Communities Agency, which will deliver a portfolio of 1,058 homes across the region over the next three years.”
David Hull, Muir Group’s regional manager, said: “Through Muir Group being involved with choice-based lettings in Cheshire West and Chester we’re directly helping the local authority meet demand for the 18,000-plus people on the current waiting list.
“All of Muir Group homes in this area are allocated through choice-based lettings, fully supporting the local authority’s future tenancy strategy.
“The main aim for us is to support and help the local authority meet the massive affordable housing need in this and other areas we operate in.”
The National Housing Federation is calling on the Government to renew its commitment to building new homes at scale and to restore the £300 million annual funding to regenerate inner-city neighbourhoods across the region.