Limekiln House, Limestone House and Tor House,
Gateway Court, Bakewell Road, Matlock - Local Lettings Plan
Introduction
Gateway Court is a development of 58 properties. The original development consisted of four blocks of properties; three blocks of rented accommodation - Limekiln House, Limestone House and Tor House - and one block of shared ownership properties - Cawdor House. The rented blocks have four flats on each floor level. This lettings plan covers the 44 two bedroom flats located in the original three rented blocks of the development. There are eight ground floor properties that are built to wheelchair user standards. The remaining 36 properties are general needs accommodation.
Area
The development was built on a former gas works site located on the edge of Matlock town centre and close to the former Cawdor Quarry, an area that has recently been through a phase of regeneration with the construction of a town centre relief road and supermarket. The majority of properties in the area are privately owned. There is a need for social rented properties for smaller families, couples and individuals in the area.
Reasons for Local Lettings Plan
This development is a scheme of 58 properties. The high density of the accommodation and the facilities available in the area means that Platform Housing Group needs to ensure that a diverse range of tenants are rehoused when allocating properties. This is in order to create a mixed community that will be sustainable in the long term.
Local Lettings Criteria
The following criteria will be followed when allocating properties in the development:
- No more than 25% of the 36 general needs units to be let to people under 25
- Minimum of 50% of the 36 general needs units to be let to people in employment (minimum 20 hours per week). This includes people on apprenticeships
- Single people permitted to under occupy 2 bed flats
- No children under 11 permitted above the 1st floor level
- Maximum of 25% of flats in each block allocated to households with children
- No more than 25% of the 44 properties to be let to vulnerable tenants, including properties built to wheelchair standards
- All properties will be let on Assured Shorthold Tenancies that convert to full Assured Tenancies after 12 months.
Each block of properties will be advertised through Home-Options over two cycles. Only applicants with a local connection to Matlock, Tansley, Matlock Bath, Bonsall, South Darley, and Darley Dale should bid during the first cycle. All applicants registered on Home-Options can bid on the second cycle, although preference will be given to those with a connection to Matlock, Tansley, Matlock Bath, Bonsall, South Darley, and Darley Dale in the first instance.
Local connection is defined as follows:
- Currently resident and have been for a continuous period of 6 months; Or
- Not currently resident but have previously been living in the area for at least 3 years out of the last 5 years; or
- A person currently resident outside of the area who supports or requires support from someone who has been resident in the area for 5 years; or
- Have been in permanent employment in the area for the last 6 months.
If the properties cannot be occupied by applicants with a connection to either Matlock, Tansley, Matlock Bath, Bonsall, South Darley or Darley Dale following the two bidding cycles the cascade process will commence where applicants will be ordered based on a wider local connection criteria. Those who have expressed an interest by bidding during the second bidding cycle will be ordered as follows:
1. Local connection to the Derbyshire Dales; then
2. Local connection to the Home-Options area (Erewash, Amber Valley and High Peak); then
3. Local connection to Derbyshire (non-Home-Options areas); then
4. Out of area applicants.
If following the cascade process there are vacancies within a block the properties will be advertised again but open to all registered on Home-Options and lettings will be based on the order set out within the allocations policy.
Review
This local lettings plan will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Contact
Home-Options Team
Platform Housing Group
1700 Solihull Parkway
Birmingham Business Park
Birmingham B37 7YD
Tel: 0333 200 7304
Email: epeast@platformhg.com (Please state in your email that it is for the attention of the Home-Options team)