Sepycoe Lane, Longford
Local Lettings Policy

Sir Robert Coke’s Almshouses Charity, Peak District Rural Housing Association & Derbyshire Dales District Council
19 March 2015

The site

Sepycoe Lane, Longford, DE6 3DR

A development by Sir Robert Coke’s Almshouses Charity and Peak District Rural Housing Association consisting of three, 3 bedroom properties on Sepycoe Lane Longford.

Link to Google Street Map of Sepycoe Lane, Longford (opens in a new window).

Reason for the Local Lettings Policy and Background

The properties are owned by the Sir Robert Coke’s Almshouses (217120), this is a charity formed in 1688 to provide homes. The charity is governed by its objects and governing instrument – appended at Appendix 1.

Planning permission for the houses has been granted by Derbyshire Dales District Council under its ‘rural exceptions’ policy. This planning permission limits the occupation of the houses to local people. Condition 9 of the planning approval sets out a definition of local connection – appended at Appendix 2.

Funding for the homes has been granted by The Homes and Communities Agency and by Derbyshire Dales District Council. Condition of this funding is that the homes should be let under DDDC allocation policy, using their Home–Options scheme. The homes will be managed under a management agreement by Peak District Rural Housing Association. This association specialises in providing and managing homes for local people.

Restrictions applying to the allocation of the properties

Local Connection
The new homes have been built on an Exception Site which by definition restricts occupation to people who have a strong local connection to Longford or an adjoining parish. Such a connection would be evidenced by the production of utility bills, electoral
register or similar material.

Under the objects of the Charity, occupants should have a strong connection to one of the parishes in the area of benefit. These are Longford, Hollington, Rodsley, Alkmonton and Thurvaston. For the purposes of allocating the properties, a ‘strong local connection’ will be as defined in the planning condition.

The Charity objects allows for only one property of the three to be occupied by a resident who does not have a connection to one of the five parishes.

Income and Asset levels
The Charity objects also set out that the houses should be occupied by ‘poor people’. For the purposes of allocating the properties, this will restrict access to those who would not otherwise be able to afford to live in Longford.

Occupancy Levels

There are no other social housing units in Longford. This necessitates flexibility in the allocation of the properties in order that local people are housed and that the charity meets its objectives.

In any development of homes, the owning organisation responsible for providing the properties must begin to receive a rental income in order to repay the loans used to finance the scheme. As such new homes can not be left vacant indefinitely and there comes a point when the area from which potential occupiers can be considered is widened or people with a lesser connection are considered. Before widening the area applicants who meet the connection criteria but do not necessarily match the property will be considered.

Properties allocated through Home-Options must meet the criteria set within the Council’s allocations policy which determines applicant need and household eligibility.

It is possible to consider the under or over occupation of homes which the Council’s allocations policy allows when a Local Lettings Policy is in operation. Overcrowding is not normally permitted because such a use would breach the regulations governing affordable housing. However it could be considered when the use of a property reduced the overcrowding being experienced by a family. Such situations are rare and are not considered likely in this instance.

Under occupation provides for the opportunity to let a home to a person or family that would not make full use of the home, i.e. letting a 3 bed house to a family with 1 child. In normal circumstances this approach would be discouraged because housing authorities are under significant pressure to ensure the most efficient use of all available homes. Given the level of expressed need identified in the Parish Housing Needs Survey (19 households) and the number of new homes being provided, there is justification to allow under occupation as set out below.

The following sets out the household eligibility:

Properties will be advertised and allocated in the first instance to:

  • Couple, 1 child
  • Single adult, 1 dependent child (under occupation accepted under this LLP)
  • Single/Couple, 2 dependent children who should share
  • Single/Couple, 2 dependent children who should not share
  • Single/Couple, 3 dependent children
  • Single/Couple, 4+ dependent children

Consideration then to be given to the following households

  • Single/Couple & 1 adult (where not dependent child or not child of applicants)
  • Single/Couple & 2 adults (where not dependent children or not the children of
  • applicants)
  • Single/Couple & 3 adults (where not dependent children or children of applicants)
  • 3 single adults
  • 4+ Single Adults

Letting process

The allocation process:

  • All the properties will be advertised on Home-Options. Other advertising will be carried out as agreed with the Trustees
  • Households only from the first list of occupancy levels will be considered on the first cycle, smaller households will be considered on the second cycle
  • If after a period of 2 consecutive advertising cycles the properties cannot be let to a household with a 5 year connection to one of the five parishes this will be lowered to those with a 3 year connection
  • The properties will be advertised on Home-Options for a further 2 consecutive advertising cycles at the lower connection requirement. Again households only from the first list of occupancy levels will be considered on the first cycle, smaller households will be considered on the second cycle
  • If after these cycles a suitable applicant cannot be identified then the area will be widened to parishes adjoining the five parishes within Derbyshire Dales.

Thurvaston

The parish of Thurvaston is within the area of benefit of the Charity but falls outside of the Derbyshire Dales District Council Area. Applicants from this Parish may not therefore have a local connection to allow them to join Home-Options in line with the allocation policy. Applicants from Thurvaston will therefore need to register with PDRHA and will be assessed under the Home-Options allocations policy for the purpose of the letting of these properties. PDRHA will need to seek prior approval from DDDC for any offer to applicants from outside the Home-Options area.

Contract with Residents

The Longford properties are Almshouses, as such they are subject to Almshouses stipulations on the arrangements with residents. Residents are appointed and receive a letter of appointment rather than a tenancy agreement.

While in practical terms, residents will enjoy similar rights to assured tenants, the legal basis of their occupation is different.

Appendices

Appendix 1 - Coke Almshouses Charity Scheme

Appendix 2 - Planning Conditions

Review

The policy will be reviewed after the first year of implementation, which is estimated to be March 2016.

Contact details

Any queries about this Local Lettings Policy can be made to:

Isabel Frenzel
Rural Housing Enabler
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Town Hall, Bank Road
Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3NN

Telephone: 01629 761 100
Email: Home.Options@derbyshiredales.gov.uk