Cawdor House, Gateway Court, Bakewell Road, Matlock
Local Lettings Plan
Introduction
Bakewell Road was a new development of 58 properties which were developed and available for letting in August 2010.
The development consists of four blocks of properties; three blocks were built for social rented accommodation and one block, Cawdor House, for shared ownership properties.
The three blocks built for social rented purposes have an existing Letting Plan in place. This Lettings Plan is specific only to the 14 two bed room flats within the Cawdor House Block. The rented blocks had been allocated successfully in accordance with the Local Letting Plan. However with the exception of 1 unit, which was sold under shared ownership, there was limited or no other interest in the properties within Cawdor House and they remained unsold.
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 gone 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 was a need for social rented properties for smaller families, couples and individuals in the area.
Reasons for Local Lettings Plan
This development was a new scheme of 58 properties. The high density of the accommodation and the facilities available in the area means that Platform Housing Group needed to ensure that a diverse range of tenants were rehoused when allocating properties. This was in order to create a mixed community that will be sustainable in the long term.
Cawdor House was built to a higher specification than the three blocks that were being rented and therefore will attract a higher weekly rental charge.
Local Lettings Criteria
The following criteria will be followed when allocating properties in Cawdor House:
- All of the 14 general needs units must be let to people in employment (minimum of 16 hours per week)
- Single people and couples will be permitted to under occupy the 2 bed flats
- One out of every three vacant properties will in the first instance be advertised with “preference, in the first instance will be given to households where one or more members is over 40 years and in full time employment”.
Should no applicants that fit the preferred criteria the property will be offered to the next eligible person on the general list.
Local Connection
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 and the 2nd cycle shortlist will be used to identify applicants with 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 (none Home-Options areas); then
4. Out of area applicants.
If following the cascade process there are vacancies within the 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)